After encountering difficulties in securing a distributor following its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, the much-anticipated film The Apprentice, featuring Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump, has finally secured distribution with Briarcliff Entertainment. Directed by Danish Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi, the movie is scheduled for release in U.S. and Canadian theaters on October 11, just weeks ahead of the November 5 election.
The Apprentice explores Trump’s early ascent in New York’s real estate scene, highlighting his mentorship under defense attorney Roy Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong. The film has already sparked controversy, particularly due to a scene depicting an alleged rape of Ivana Trump—an accusation made during her 1990 divorce deposition but later retracted.
Abbasi has expressed his determination to release the film before voters head to the polls, despite the hesitation of larger studios, which passed on the project due to potential legal risks. The Trump campaign has strongly opposed the film’s release, denouncing it as “malicious defamation” and threatening legal action.
Briarcliff Entertainment, recognized for distributing the 2022 documentary Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down and the thriller Memory, is set to bring The Apprentice to audiences, likely reigniting debates over its portrayal of the former president and its potential influence on the upcoming election.
