One of the most controversial films of the year is set to hit theaters with “The Apprentice.” In the first trailer, Sebastian Stan appears as Donald Trump.
Today, most of the world knows Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States and the current Republican presidential candidate. Just as people either love or hate the 78-year-old, for Trump, it’s all or nothing. His motto is “go big or go home.” He’s loud, often hits below the belt, speaks his mind without holding back, aggressively targets his critics, but also comes across as charismatic and energetic. He can captivate the masses, but also manipulate them.
Where did he develop this sense, this talent for perfect showmanship, bordering on megalomania? The upcoming biopic, The Apprentice – The Trump Story, directed by Ali Abbasi (“Holy Spider”), might provide some answers, as the first trailer has been released:
As the trailer clearly shows, the relationship between a young Donald Trump and his mentor, lawyer Roy Cohn, is central to the upcoming biopic. No surprise there—Cohn, who rose to fame and power during the McCarthy era, shaped Trump into the person he is today. It was Trump himself who approached Cohn in 1973 at Le Club. At the time, the Department of Justice was threatening to sue his father’s company. But Cohn reportedly sensed right away that the tall blonde, who neither drank nor did drugs, was destined for power.
“The Apprentice”: Sebastian Stan Once Again Proves His Versatility A major highlight of the biopic is the casting of Marvel star Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Jeremy Strong (“Succession”) as Roy Cohn. Though the 42-year-old Stan is best known for his role as Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), he prefers to showcase his acting skills in biographical roles. He shined as Tonya Harding’s ex-husband Jeff in “I, Tonya” alongside Margot Robbie, and as rock musician Tommy Lee in the brilliant miniseries “Pam & Tommy” alongside Lily James, which you can stream on Disney+. Based on the trailer alone, it looks like Stan might have outdone himself once again.
Directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi, known for his work on “Border” and “Holy Spider,” the script for The Apprentice – The Trump Story was co-written by Abbasi and Gabriel Sherman (“Independence Day: Resurgence”).
The biopic’s release comes at the perfect time, just before the U.S. presidential election. It is scheduled to open in Germany on October 17, 2024, distributed by DCM. While the film will likely put Trump back in the spotlight, it also tackles several controversial topics that neither Trump nor his campaign team will appreciate. In response, the filmmakers are facing a potential civil lawsuit. However, director Abbasi is undeterred (via Entertainment Weekly):
“Everyone talks about how many people he’s (Donald Trump) sued, but no one talks about how successful those lawsuits have been.”
