''The Apprentice'' is a 2024

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

biographical drama film. The plot examines

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

making a career as a real estate businessman in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s, highlighting his relationship with attorney

Roy Cohn Roy Marcus Cohn ( ; February 20, 1927 – August 2, 1986) was an American lawyer and prosecutor. He first gained fame as a prosecutor of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in their trials (1952–53) and as Senator Joseph McCarthy's chief counsel duri ...

. Directed by Ali Abbasi, written by

Gabriel Sherman Gabriel Sherman (born 1978 or 1979) is an American journalist and author. He has contributed to '' Vanity Fair'' and ''New York'' magazine and written books. In 2014, he published a biography about Fox News Channel president Roger Ailes called ...

, and co-distributed by James Shani's Rich Sprit in partnership with

Briarcliff Entertainment Briarcliff Entertainment is an independent American film production and distribution company founded by former Open Road Films CEO Tom Ortenberg. Launched in 2018, the studio debuted with Michael Moore's documentary ''Fahrenheit 11/9'' as their ...

, the film stars

Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan (born August 13, 1982) is a Romania-born American actor. Known for his work in both blockbuster and independent films, his accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Silver Bear, in addition to nominations for an Academy A ...

as Trump,

Jeremy Strong Jeremy Strong (born December 25, 1978) is an American actor. Known for his intense method acting style in roles across both stage and screen, he has received various accolades, including a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Glo ...

as Cohn,

Martin Donovan Martin Donovan (born Martin Paul Smith; August 19, 1957) is an American actor. He has had a long collaboration with director Hal Hartley, appearing in many of his films, such as '' Trust'' (1990), '' Surviving Desire'' (1991), '' Simple Men'' (1 ...

as Trump's father

Fred Fred or FRED may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Fred ...

, and

Maria Bakalova Maria Valcheva Bakalova ( ; born 4 June 1996) is a Bulgarian actress. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Maria Bakalova, various accolades, including a Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Award, ...

as Trump's first wife,

Ivana Ivana is a feminine given name of Slavic origin that is also popular in southern Ireland, France, French-speaking Canada, the Mediterranean and Latin America. It is the feminine form of the name Ivan, which are both the Slavic cognates of the n ...

. An

international co-production A co-production is a joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint vent ...

between

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, the biopic was announced in May 2018, but languished until Abbasi, Stan, and Strong joined in 2023. It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2024, and impressed the critics, sparking an eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes, and "feverish media attention". However, the film struggled to find American distribution due to its subject matter and an attempt by Trump's legal team to block its release. Briarcliff eventually bought the rights, and theatrically released it on October 11, 2024. The film grossed $17 million on a $16 million budget. The film received praise from critics for its acting, directing, and editing; Trump, meanwhile, described it as a "defamatory, politically disgusting hatchet job" intended to harm his ultimately successful 2024 presidential campaign. For their performances, Stan and Strong each received wide acclaim and recognition, including respective nominations for

Lead Actor A leading actor, leading actress, or leading man or lady or simply lead (), plays a main role in a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person w ...

and

Supporting Actor A supporting actor or supporting actress is an actor who performs a role in a play or film below that of the leading actor(s), and above that of a bit part. In recognition of important nature of this work, the theater and film industries give ...

at the

97th Academy Awards The 97th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the gala, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly r ...

Plot

In 1973, the young

, after pointing out various wealthy people to his date, meets

, notorious at the time as former chief counsel to

Joseph McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was an American politician who served as a Republican Party (United States), Republican United States Senate, U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death at age ...

, at a New York City social club. Trump complains that the federal government is investigating his real-estate mogul father,

Fred Trump Frederick Christ Trump Sr. (October 11, 1905 – June 25, 1999) was an American real-estate developer and businessman. He was the father of the 45th and 47th U.S. president, Donald Trump. Born in the Bronx in New York City to Germans, German ...

, for discrimination against African-American tenants; Cohn offers to help. After Cohn blackmails the lead prosecutor with photos of him with a

cabana boy A cabana boy is a male attendant who serves the guests of a hotel, large private estate, or luxury resort operating from a nearby '' cabaña'' (Spanish for cabin; compare cabin boy, a similar occupation aboard ships during the age of sail), often ...

, the prosecutor settles the case for little, despite evidence of racial discrimination. Trump eventually descends further into Cohn's orbit, seeing him as a better mentor than his father. Cohn teaches Trump about dressing well and media relations, and offers his "three rules": always attack, never admit wrongdoing, and always claim victory, even if defeated. Trump attends a decadent Cohn party, where he walks in on Cohn (whose homosexuality is an

open secret An open secret is information that was originally intended to be confidential but has at some point been disclosed and is known to many people. Open secrets are ''secrets'' in the sense that they are excluded from formal or official discourse, b ...

) having an

orgy An orgy is a sex party where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex. Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation, because at many swinger parties the sexual partners may all know each other o ...

. Trump wants to develop the derelict midtown Commodore Hotel, near

Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal station, terminal located at 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York Ci ...

, into a

Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational corporation, multinational hospitality company headquartered in the 150 North Riverside, Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchise ...

. Cohn, using blackmail audiotapes of officials, helps Trump obtain a $160 million

tax abatement A tax holiday is a temporary reduction or elimination of a tax. It is synonymous with tax abatement, tax subsidy or tax reduction. Governments usually create tax holidays as incentives for business investment, although the arrangement has also ...

for the project, outraging advocates for the poor. Trump does not ask Fred, with whom he has a tense relationship, for permission to build. Trump develops the luxurious

Trump Tower Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use condominium skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organiza ...

, belittling Fred's smaller achievements, and the media begins to treat him as a successful mogul. Cohn criticizes unions and

welfare queen "Welfare queen" is a derogatory term used in the United States to describe individuals who are perceived to misuse or abuse the welfare system, often through fraudulent means, child endangerment, or manipulation. The media's coverage of welfar ...

s, presenting himself as a guardian of the American spirit, while attacking rules, morals, and truth. During the Reagan era, Trump says the United States needs to be stronger instead of disrespected by foreign nations. Trump and

Roger Stone Roger Jason Stone (born Roger Joseph Stone Jr.; August 27, 1952) is an American Political consulting, political consultant and lobbyist. He is Donald Trump's longest-serving political adviser, best known for the Mueller special counsel investi ...

approve of one of Reagan's slogans, " Let's Make America Great Again". Against Cohn's advice, Trump proceeds with some real estate developments, such as the

Trump Taj Mahal The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, formerly Trump Taj Mahal, is a casino and hotel on the Boardwalk, owned by Hard Rock International, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. The casino was inaugurated in 1990 by its owner, Do ...

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

, causing losses. Fred is ashamed of his eldest son, Fred Jr., for becoming an airline pilot with

TWA The Twa, often referred to as Batwa or Mutwa (singular), are indigenous hunter-gatherer peoples of the Great Lakes Region in Central Africa, recognized as some of the earliest inhabitants of the area. Historically and academically, the term � ...

, considering it akin to being "a bus driver with wings". Fred Jr. spirals into alcoholism, derailing his career, while the Trump family distances themselves from his self-destruction, and he eventually dies, devastating the family. His mother,

Mary Anne Mary Ann or Maryann or Mary Anne is a feminine given name, a combination of the names Mary and Anne. It may refer to: People Mary Ann * Mary Ann Acevedo (born 1987), Puerto Rican singer and songwriter * Mary Ann Akers, American gossip column ...

, is agonized by this, and by Donald's attempts to manipulate his father's

dementia Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...

to gain control of his siblings' inheritance to pay off mounting debts. Trump meets Czech model

Ivana Zelníčková Ivana Marie Trump (; February 20, 1949 – July 14, 2022) was a businesswoman, socialite, and model. She lived in Canada in the 1970s, before relocating to the United States and marrying Donald Trump in 1977. She held key managerial positions ...

, gets her admitted to his club after she is turned away, pays for her expenses, then pursues her to

Aspen, Colorado Aspen is the List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The city population ...

, to ask her on a date. They eventually wed. She becomes an influential figure in the success of

The Trump Organization The Trump Organization, Inc. is an American Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. Privately owned by Donald Trump, it serves as the holding company for most of Business career of Donald Trump, Trump's business ventures and investments, with ar ...

. However, Trump grows resentful of Ivana overshadowing his fame and tells her he is no longer attracted to her (though not mentioning his various affairs). She complains of her breast enlargement he requested and calls him fat and bald, so he sexually assaults her. Now addicted to amphetamines to help control his weight, Donald is discouraged from using them by his doctor, with whom he discusses his obesity and

baldness Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. Inflammation or scarring ...

. Trump has contentious relations with the new mayor,

Ed Koch Edward Irving Koch ( ; December 12, 1924February 1, 2013) was an American politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. Koch was a lifelong Democrat who ...

. While facing disbarment, Cohn develops

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

but publicly denies it. His lover Russell also develops AIDS, and Cohn asks Trump to put Russell up at the Hyatt. Trump eventually evicts Russell, claiming that guests complained, and refuses to approach Cohn, who berates Trump on the street, calling him an ungrateful fraud. After Russell dies, Trump takes Cohn to

Mar-a-Lago Mar-a-Lago ( , ) is a resort and National Historic Landmark on a barrier island in Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It spans 126 rooms and built on of land. Since 1985, it has been owned by Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of t ...

in Florida and celebrates his birthday. He gives Cohn Trump-branded diamond cufflinks, but Ivana informs Cohn during dinner that the diamonds are

zirconium Zirconium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Zr and atomic number 40. First identified in 1789, isolated in impure form in 1824, and manufactured at scale by 1925, pure zirconium is a lustrous transition metal with a greyis ...

knockoffs. When the cake arrives, Cohn weeps and excuses himself from the table. Cohn dies in 1986. Trump undergoes liposuction and scalp-reduction surgeries. He meets with Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of his autobiography, ''

The Art of the Deal ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'', and misquotes Cohn's three rules as his own. Trump muses about becoming

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

, talks about the genetic superiority of winners, and expatiates his greatness while looking out toward an

American flag The national flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal Bar (heraldry), stripes, Variation of the field, alternating red and white, with a blue rectangle in the Canton ( ...

waving against the backdrop of the New York skyline.

Cast

Production

The film was first announced in May 2018.

, who had covered Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign as a journalist, was announced to be writing the screenplay. Sherman wanted to tell

's "

origin story In fiction, an origin story is an account or backstory revealing how a character or group of people become a protagonist or antagonist. In American comic books, it also refers to how characters gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances ...

" after speaking about the relationship between Trump and

with "people who had worked for Trump since the '80s". During these conversations, Sherman learned about how Cohn had mentored Trump, who during his 2016 campaign, employed "strategies" that had been taught to him by Cohn. In 2022,

signed on to play Donald Trump. To prepare for the role during

pre-production Pre-production is the process of planning some of the elements involved in a film, television show, play, video game, or other performance, as distinct from production and post-production. Pre-production ends when the planning ends and the co ...

, Stan listened to tapes of a younger Trump's voice as he did daily tasks, even practicing how his mouth moves, having a talent for imitating people since childhood. In addition to this, Stan thought about how he was told about the

American Dream The "American Dream" is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. The phrase was popularized by James Truslow Adams during the ...

when, after moving from Romania to the United States, his mother took him to see New York City's skyscrapers. In October 2023, Ali Abbasi was confirmed to be joining the film as director and, as initially reported, co-writer. However, it was later confirmed that Sherman would be the film's sole writer. According to Abbasi, producers had shared the script with multiple filmmakers, including

Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. Often described as one of the most preeminent writer-directors of his generation, List of awards and nominations received by Paul Thomas Anders ...

and

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...

, who had turned down the offer to direct, seeing the film as a "business risk". In anticipation of filming, Stan consumed

peanut butter and jelly sandwich A peanut butter and jelly sandwich (PB&J) consists of peanut butter and fruit preserves spread on bread. The sandwich is popular in the United States, especially among children; a 2002 survey showed the average American will eat 1,500 peanut ...

es and

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

s to gain weight. When the film got temporarily suspended, he started bulking up in order to reprise his role as

Bucky Barnes James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally introduced as a sidekick to Captain America, the character was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and first appeared in '' ...

in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...

(MCU) film ''

Thunderbolts* ''Thunderbolts*'' is a 2025 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the team Thunderbolts (comics), Thunderbolts. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is List of Marvel Cinemat ...

'', but had to frustratingly reverse course when that

Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...

production got suspended as well due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The film began

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

in November 2023 in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, where Stan, Strong and Bakalova were announced as the lead roles. Filming wrapped on January 28, 2024. In February 2024, it was announced that

had joined the cast portraying

. The film is a joint production of

and the

. In September 2024, after financier Kinematics, backed by Trump supporter Dan Snyder, exited ''The Apprentice'' due to creative differences, independent production and distribution company Rich Spirit, founded by James Shani, stepped in to fill the financial gap. Initially an early investor with a $500,000 contribution, Shani acquired Kinematics' stake and secured additional private investment to support the film's release. This acquisition occurred when other studios were hesitant to distribute the film, fearing potential retaliation from Donald Trump. Steven Cheung, Trump's then-chief campaign spokesperson said: "We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers," he added "This 'film' is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day". Rich Spirit expanded into distribution through this acquisition, partnering with Briarcliff Entertainment for ''The Apprentice'''s domestic release on October 11, 2024. The company is focused on independent films, genre cinema, and international productions, with an emphasis on bold, original storytelling and grassroots marketing strategies. Shani, a USC alumnus, previously worked in music videos and commercial production before moving into film financing and distribution. In collaboration with Briarcliff CEO Tom Ortenberg, Shani launched an awards campaign for ''The Apprentice'', targeting multiple Academy Award categories, including Best Director (Ali Abbasi) and acting nominations for Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Rich Spirit also planned an extended marketing strategy through 2025, featuring university screenings and community activations. The success of ''The Apprentice'' positioned Rich Spirit as an emerging boutique studio, aiming to acquire and distribute three to four films per year, prioritizing projects that resonate with younger and international audiences. The company has since engaged in discussions for future acquisitions, including a potential partnership on another Briarcliff release. In October 2024, Abbasi described the film as "a movie about a human being". Strong characterized it as "a humanistic interrogation and investigation of these people. Ali is not making ''

The Great Dictator ''The Great Dictator'' is a 1940 American political satire black comedy film written, directed, produced by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. Having been the only Hollywood filmmaker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound f ...

'' — it's not a farce, it's not a cartoon. We're trying to hold a mirror up to this world and these individuals and try to understand how we got here".

Release

''The Apprentice'' was submitted at the

2024 Cannes Film Festival The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival took place from 14 to 25 May 2024. American filmmaker and actress Greta Gerwig served as jury president for the main competition. American filmmaker Sean Baker (filmmaker), Sean Baker won the Palme d'Or, the ...

, held from May 14 to 25, 2024. It was included in competition for the

Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...

in April 2024, alongside 18 other films, and had its world premiere on May 20, 2024, at the festival. It also screened at the

51st Telluride Film Festival The 51st Telluride Film Festival took place between August 30 and September 2, 2024, in Telluride, Colorado. American filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan was chosen as the festival Guest Director. Luke Dorman, the Principal Graphic Designer at Meow Wolf, ...

on August 31, 2024, and the

2024 BFI London Film Festival The 68th BFI London Film Festival was a film festival that took place from 9–20 October 2024. The competition films were announced on 29 August 2024 while the films for the galas and the strands were revealed on 4 September 2024. Steve McQueen ...

on October 15, 2024. Following the departure of financier Kinematics, Rich Spirit, an independent production and distribution company founded by James Shani, stepped in to provide additional financing for the film and supported its domestic release. Initially an early investor, Shani acquired a majority stake in the project and partnered with Briarcliff Entertainment to ensure its theatrical distribution.

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., and Canal+ Production and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film & television production and distribution company which is a ...

acquired UK and Irish distribution rights to the film prior to its world premiere at Cannes. In June 2024, after much difficulty in finding a domestic distributor over concerns regarding its content as well as an attempt by Trump's legal team to block its release, Tom Ortenberg's

was reported to be close to acquiring U.S. distribution rights for a fall 2024 release, a deal that was confirmed in August 2024. The film was distributed in Australia by

Madman Films Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., also known as Madman Films, stylized as MADMAN, is an Australian film and television production, distribution, entertainment, and rights management company headquartered in East Melbourne, Victoria, specialising ...

. On September 3, 2024, a crowdfunding campaign on

Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...

was launched to help prolong the film's theatrical release in the US, with rewards including props worn in the film and VIP tickets to attend the film's premiere in New York City. The first trailer for the film was released on September 10, 2024, coinciding with the presidential debate between Trump and

Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...

. ''The Apprentice'' was released theatrically in Australia on October 10, 2024, and in the US on October 11, with limited marketing costs (including no TV spots). The film was released on

premium video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typical static broadcasting ...

(PVOD) on November 1, 2024. Following its

nominations, Briarcliff announced a re-release in theaters beginning on January 31, 2025.

Reception

Box office

''The Apprentice'' grossed $4 million in the United States and Canada, and $13.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $17.3 million. In the United States and Canada, ''The Apprentice'' was released alongside ''

Terrifier 3 ''Terrifier 3'' is a 2024 American Christmas slasher film co-produced, written, edited, and directed by Damien Leone. It is the sequel to ''Terrifier 2'' (2022) and the third installment in the ''Terrifier'' film series. The film stars David ...

'', '' Piece by Piece'', '' My Hero Academia: You're Next'', and the wide expansion of '' Saturday Night'', and was projected to gross $1–3 million from 1,740 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $590,000 on its first day, including $150,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $1.6 million, finishing 10th. Anthony D'Alessandro of ''

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...

'' said Briarcliff Entertainment struggled to market the film because of a limited marketing spend, despite its controversies with the former president; iSpot, which tracks TV spots, said there were no spots registered for ''The Apprentice'', and theatrical trailers supposed to be attached to '' Wolfs'' were reduced after that film scaled back its release. Furthermore, Briarcliff could not start booking theaters and fully promoting the film until Labor Day weekend, which complicated its rollout.

Critical response

Audiences polled by

CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...

gave the film an average grade of "B–" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by

PostTrak PostTrak is a U.S.-based service that surveys film audiences for film studios. History The service conducts surveys in the top 20 markets in the U.S. and Canada with the use of polling cards and electronic kiosks. A PostTrak report for a fil ...

gave it a 71% overall positive score, with 46% saying they would definitely recommend it. On

AlloCiné AlloCiné is an entertainment website founded by Jean-David Blanc in 1988, then joined by Patrick Holzman. It has belonged to the company since 2013 Webedia. which specializes in providing information on French cinema, mostly centering on nove ...

, the film received an average rating of 3.6 out of 5, based on 30 reviews from French critics. David Rooney in ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' praised Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong's performances in the film with Stan "going beyond impersonation to capture the essence of the man". Beyond the portrayal of Trump and Cohn, Rooney writes that the film examines the rise of 'winners' and 'losers' thinking in American life from the cynicism of the Nixon years to the rise of corporate greed during the

Reagan presidency Ronald Reagan's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 40th president of the United States began with First inauguration of Ronald Reagan, his first inauguration on January 20, 1981, and ended on January 20, 1989. Reagan, a Rep ...

in the 1980s. ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

Kevin Maher Kevin Andrew Maher (born 17 October 1976) is a former professional footballer and coach who played as a midfielder. He is head coach of National League side Southend United. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland international ...

gave the film 4/5 stars, writing, "This is the Donald Trump movie that you never knew you needed: full of compassionate feeling yet ruthless in analysis." James Croot of ''Stuff'' also gave the film 4/5 stars, calling it "an engrossing mentor-mentee tale (à la ''

The Color of Money ''The Color of Money'' is a 1986 American Sports film, sports Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is the sequel to the 1961 film ''The Hustler''. Like the previous film, ''The Color of Money'' is based on a ...

'' or '' Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'') that showcases two, quite frankly, amazing performances."

Peter Bradshaw Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine. Early life and education Bradshaw was educat ...

of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' gave the film 2/5 stars, writing, "Director Ali Abbasi has given us fascinating monsters in the past with '' Holy Spider'' and ''Border'' but the monstrosity here is almost sentimental, a cartoon Xeroxed from many other satirical Trump takes and knowing prophetic echoes of his political future." Roger Stone

tweeted A tweet (officially known as a post since 2023) is a short status update on the social networking site Twitter (officially known as X since 2023) which can include images, videos, GIFs, straw polls, hashtags, mentions, and hyperlinks. Around ...

of Strong, "I knew Roy Cohn. Roy Cohn was a friend of mine. As much as I hate to say it, this guy deserves an Oscar". He added, "I am, however, much better looking than the guy they had playing me" (Rendall).

Accolades

Legal issues

Trump described the film as "a cheap, defamatory, and politically disgusting hatchet job" and described those involved in it as "human scum". Billionaire Dan Snyder, formerly the owner of the

Washington Commanders The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division ...

NFL team, invested money in the production of ''The Apprentice'' with the impression that the film would be a positive portrayal of Trump. Snyder is a close friend of Trump who donated $1.1 million to his inaugural committee and

Trump Victory Committee The Trump Victory Committee was a joint fundraising committee for Donald J. Trump for President (the Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016, Donald Trump presidential campaign organization), the Republican National Committee (RNC), and 11 sta ...

in 2016 and $100,000 to his 2020 presidential campaign. After seeing a cut of the film in February 2024, Snyder was said to be furious, and lawyers for the Snyder-backed Kinematics production company sought to stop the release of the film. The film includes controversial scenes, including those that depict Trump violently raping his first wife, Ivana, abusing

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from Alpha and beta carbon, alpha-methylphenethylamine, methylphenethylamine) is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, an ...

s to lose weight, and undergoing

liposuction Liposuction, or simply lipo, is a type of fat-removal procedure used in plastic surgery. Evidence does not support an effect on weight beyond a couple of months and does not appear to affect obesity-related problems. In the United States, lip ...

and plastic surgery to remove a bald spot. The rape scene was based on divorce records. In a deposition under oath, rendered during their divorce proceedings, Ivana accused Donald of rape and of pulling out her hair by the handful when his plastic surgery to alter his hairline failed. In 2015 Ivana Trump issued a statement clarifying earlier allegations made during her 1989 divorce proceedings. She claimed that her use of the term "rape" was not meant in a literal or criminal sense and was made during a time of high emotion, stating "Donald and I are the best of friends, and together we have raised three children that we love and are very proud of. I have nothing but fondness for Donald, and I wish him the best of luck on his campaign. ..I have recently read some comments attributed to me from nearly 30 years ago at a time of very high tension during my divorce from Donald. The story is totally without merit. Donald and I are the best of friends and he would never rape me." Sherman cited the Trump biography '' Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump'', by Harry Hurt, as the main source for Trump's use of amphetamines and said, "There's been other reporting over the years that Trump, in the '80s, took these pills that essentially are amphetamines, and they kind of give you manic energy...It's always been one of the explanations for why he went on this deal-making binge...I felt it was one of the themes of the film—as Trump gains more power, he loses touch with his own humanity. I thought of the diet pills as him trying to develop this superpower of never needing to sleep." On May 20, 2024, ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' reported that Steven Cheung, the communications director of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, threatened legal action over the film. On May 24, ''Variety'' reported that Trump's attorneys sent a

cease-and-desist A cease and desist letter is a document sent by one party, often a business, to warn another party that they believe the other party is committing an unlawful act, such as copyright infringement, and that they will take legal action if the other ...

letter to the filmmakers, seeking to block "all marketing, distribution, and publication of the Movie." The film's producers responded to the letter by issuing a statement saying, "The film is a fair and balanced portrait of the former president. We want everyone to see it and then decide." Subsequent to this, Abbasi offered to screen the film for Trump, believing that he might approve of its depiction of him. He also said that realistic films need to be produced about the threat of

fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

. In September 2024, Dan Snyder and his production company Kinematics sold its stake in the film, citing creative differences. Snyder was reportedly motivated to depart because of the film's unflattering and controversial portrayal of the central figure. The stake was acquired by James Shani and his production company Rich Spirit, which was already involved in the film with an original investment of $500,000.

References

External links

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