‘September 5’: A Harrowing Historical Drama-Thriller About ABC Sports' Coverage of the 1972 Munich Olympics

September 5 (2025) is a harrowing historical drama-thriller that recreates the events of the 1972 Olympics hostage crisis, told from the perspective of the ABC Sports broadcasting team situated nearby. Set in Munich during a time meant for celebration and unity, eight members of the Palestinian militant organization Black September took members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The ABC Sports team is quickly forced to shift from covering the Games to reporting on the standoff, with Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) scrambling to manage the control room and provide real-time updates to a global audience. Working under the supervision of Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), president of ABC Sports, and Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), the head of operations, Mason enlists translator Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch) as a crucial intermediary throughout the ordeal. Together, they work tirelessly alongside myriad staff members to capture footage, commentary and interviews in support of lead anchor Jim McKay and field correspondent Peter Jennings.

Co-written and directed by Swiss filmmaker Tim Fehlbaum, September 5 recreates the 1970s news studio with meticulous detail, weaving archival footage with dramatization to fully immerse viewers. Through a mix of intimate character work and historical reconstruction, the film delivers a sobering chronicle of loss and a meditation on the power of media in moments of crisis. It highlights both the human toll of the Munich massacre and the way in which live television forever reshaped how audiences experience unfolding tragedy.

Watch the trailer: