A new film titled “The Apprentice,” centered on former President Donald Trump, is set to premiere in the United States just ahead of Election Day.
According to reports from the Associated Press, Briarcliff Entertainment is facilitating the release of this highly anticipated film on October 11th in both the U.S. and Canada. The movie’s director, Ali Abbasi, expressed his excitement on the social platform X, saying, “Soooo excited to show the movie to its home audience!!! America here we come.”
However, the Trump campaign has been quick to criticize the film. Steven Cheung, the communications director for Trump’s campaign, vehemently denounced it, calling it “pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked.” In a statement to The Hill on Friday, Cheung further elaborated, “This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation. It should never see the light of day and doesn’t even deserve a place in the straight-to-DVD section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store; it belongs in a dumpster fire.”
The controversy surrounding “The Apprentice” isn’t new. In May, Trump’s legal team attempted to halt its production. They sent a cease-and-desist letter to the filmmakers, arguing that the movie falsely presents itself as a factual biography of Trump. The film features Sebastian Stan, known for his role in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” as a young Trump, and Jeremy Strong from “Succession” as Roy Cohn, Trump’s infamous defense attorney.
Trump’s attorney, David Warrington, addressed the letter to director Ali Abbasi and screenwriter Gabriel Sherman, stating, “The movie is a concoction of lies that repeatedly defames President Trump and constitutes direct foreign interference in America’s elections. If you do not immediately cease and desist all distribution and marketing of this libelous farce, we will be forced to pursue all appropriate legal remedies.”
On the other hand, the producers of “The Apprentice” maintain that their film offers a fair and balanced portrayal of the former president. In an earlier statement to Variety, they commented, “We want everyone to see it and then decide.”
As of now, Briarcliff Entertainment has not responded to requests for further comments.