Here’s the first official trailer for Ali Abbasi’s much-talked-about Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice.
Confirmed today by distributor Briarcliff, the film will hit U.S. cinemas on October 11.
Directed by Ali Abbasi and written by Gabe Sherman, The Apprentice stars Emmy nominee Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy) as Trump, Emmy winner Jeremy Strong (Succession) as the firebrand Roy Cohn, Martin Donovan (Tenet) as Fred Trump Sr, and Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) as Ivana Trump.
The film charts a young Donald Trump’s ascent to power through a Faustian deal with the influential right-wing lawyer and political fixer Cohn.
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The Apprentice made waves at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. There had initially been some uncertainty about whether the film would get a theatrical release stateside. The film’s financier Kinematics, which is backed by Trump supporter Dan Snyder, reportedly took umbrage at the film’s depiction of the former POTUS and pursued legal action.
The film had its U.S. bow at Telluride after being quietly added to the festival’s lineup. As Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye reported, the film had a trouble-free debut. The team behind the film had anticipated legal challenges to prevent the screening and protests from the former President’s supporters.
Introducing the film, Abbasi said: “I have allowed myself as a non-American to take a deep look into this country and system, and some characters.”
He joked “We had a special guest. We had reserved three seats there for him and his bodyguards, we’re still waiting …he might arrive in the dark, you never know.”
Check out The Apprentice trailer above.