What to Know About the New Donald Trump Movie 'The Apprentice' in 9 Clicks: Cast, Plot, Release Date and More
What Is 'The Apprentice' About?
The Apprentice, first announced in 2018, explores Donald Trump's early career in the real estate business decades before becoming the president of the United States. Although the film has yet to release the official synopsis, The Hollywood Reporter describes it as a "mentor-protégé narrative that documents the start of an American dynasty and tackles themes including power, corruption and deception."
According to the logline, The Apprentice also tells the "origins of a system…featuring larger-than-life characters and set in a world of power and ambition."
Reviews from the attendees of the Cannes Film Festival say the film covers the events from 1973 to 1986 — the year Trump's key mentor Roy Cohn died.
Who Plays Donald Trump?
Avengers: Endgame and Logan Lucky actor Sebastian Stan stars as the young Trump.
Speaking about his portrayal of the ex-POTUS' role in the film, the Falcon and the Winter Soldier star said he did not know if he could do the role due to the "long, arduous process" to prepare for it.
"I just scoured the internet and everything I could find… all around the time period that the movie was taking place. I watched everything," Stan told Vanity Fair.
Who Is in 'The Apprentice' Cast?
Stan joins the cast alongside Jeremy Strong, who plays Cohn's role.
The other stars in the film include Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, Martin Donovan as Fred Trump and Joe Pingue as Anthony Salerno.
Who Is Directing 'The Apprentice'?
The Apprentice is helmed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi, who previously worked on Holy Spider and Border.
The filmmaker responded to Donald's threat to file a lawsuit over The Apprentice, saying people "don't talk about his success rate though."
"I don't necessarily think that this is a movie he would dislike," said Ali. "I don't necessarily think he would like it. I think he would be surprised, you know? And like I've said before, I would offer to go and meet him wherever he wants and talk about the context of the movie, have a screening and have a chat afterwards, if that's interesting to anyone at the Trump campaign."
Meanwhile, producers include Tailored Films' Ruth Treacy, Profile Pictures' Jacob Jarek and Scythia Films' Daniel Bekerman. The executive producers, on the other hand, are Amy Baer, Gabriel Sherman and Grant Johnson.
When Did 'The Apprentice' Production Begin?
- The View's Joy Behar Argues With Senator John Fetterman Over Potential Donald Trump Pardon
- Donald Trump's Inner Circle Not 'Optimistic' About His Secretary of Defense Pick Pete Hegseth, Claims Maggie Haberman
- CNN Star Kaitlan Collins Spotted 'in Deep Conversation' With Trump Deputy AG Pick Todd Blanche — 'This Cozy Catch-Up Could Infuriate Trump'
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
The Apprentice production started in November 2023 and wrapped in January.
Is There a Trailer for 'The Apprentice'?
The Apprentice creators have yet to release the official trailer except for its first official image, unveiled before its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. The sneak peek featured Sebastian in a car with Jeremy as they played their characters, respectively.
'The Apprentice' Has Attracted Controversy
When The Apprentice premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, viewers reportedly gasped after learning shocking information about Donald.
One scene reportedly showed the former president getting liposuction, while another depicted Donald raping his first wife.
Has Donald Trump Commented on 'The Apprentice'?
Donald's team responded to the film shortly after its premiere.
Trump campaign's communications director, Steven Cheung, said the campaign would file a lawsuit in response to the "blatantly false assertions" from the "pretend filmmakers."
"This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked," Steven added. "This 'film' is pure malicious defamation, should not 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."
When Will 'The Apprentice' Be Released?
The Apprentice's official release date has yet to be confirmed following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.