Sorkin, DreamWorks ink pact

HOLLYWOOD, July 12 (UPI) -- DreamWorks has struck a deal with Hollywood writer Aaron Sorkin to write three films, beginning with "The Trial of the Chicago 7."

Steven Spielberg, who said he wants to direct the first project, and producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald have been working with Sorkin for a while on the film about the trials of protesters at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, Variety reported Thursday.

Sorkin is a six-time Emmy winner whose credits range from the NBC drama "The West Wing" to the stage play "A Few Good Men," which he adapted for a hit movie starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore. His most recent venture was the adaptation of the George Crile book, "Charlie Wilson's War," into a Mike Nichols film starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"The quality of (Sorkin's) work speaks to the kind of movies we want to make here at DreamWorks," said DreamWorks Chief Executive Officer and Co-chair Stacey Snider, "and we couldn't be happier to have him in our filmmaker family."