The forthcoming film “The Apprentice” offers a first look at Marvel star Sebastian Stan in the role of a young Donald Trump. Released on Tuesday, Briarcliff Entertainment shared a scene from the biopic directed by Ali Abbasi, which has already encountered legal challenges from Trump’s presidential campaign.
In the newly released clip, Jeremy Strong, known for his role in “Succession,” portrays Roy Cohn, Trump’s controversial mentor and a disbarred U.S. prosecutor who died in 1986. The scene features Strong coaching Stan’s Trump during a phone interview, as the two men travel in a car.
“I intend to acquire the Commodore, and I’m planning on making it the best and the finest building in the city, maybe the country — in the world, Judy, in the world,” Stan’s Trump declares, with Strong encouraging him to amplify his business ambitions.
“It’s going to be the finest building in the world. It’s going to be a spectacular hotel, absolutely spectacular, first-class,” Stan continues.
Strong responds, “Listen, it’s your life. You’ve got a ways to go, but you’re learning,” before promising the reporter a follow-up in person.
Set to release on October 11, “The Apprentice” features Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump and debuted internationally at the Cannes Film Festival in May. It later premiered in North America at the Telluride Film Festival, currently holding a 73% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 49 reviews.
In addition to the film’s release, a Kickstarter campaign titled “Release The Apprentice” has been launched, aiming to raise $100,000 to cover legal fees and promotional costs. The campaign highlights difficulties in distributing the film, citing legal threats and media reluctance. The description frames the situation as a “David and Goliath” struggle, seeking public support to overcome these obstacles.
Described as a “candid portrayal” of Trump’s rise in the 1970s and ’80s, the film aims to offer an unfiltered view of his journey. The filmmakers have faced significant challenges in securing distribution due to fears of retribution if Trump were to be re-elected.
Following the Cannes premiere, Trump’s campaign issued a statement announcing their intention to sue the filmmakers. Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 campaign, condemned the film as “malicious defamation” and “pure fiction,” asserting that it sensationalizes debunked lies.
The film includes a controversial scene depicting an alleged rape of Ivana Trump, a claim that Ivana Trump had previously retracted in a 1993 book, describing it as a feeling of violation rather than a literal assault.
Director Ali Abbasi responded to the legal threats by acknowledging the former president’s possible objections but encouraged Trump to view the film himself. Abbasi expressed confidence in the film’s integrity and its portrayal of historical events.
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