Briarcliff Entertainment, led by Tom Ortenberg, has acquired Ali Abbasi’s film The Apprentice, which is about Donald Trump’s early life. It will be released in the United States on October 11, and there are plans for an awards campaign.
The film, written by Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman, stars Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn. The Apprentice premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20 and has sparked heated debate due to its subject matter and portrayal of Trump’s early years.
The movie was financed by billionaire Trump ally Dan Snyder’s Kinematics company. Snyder reportedly objected to the way Trump was portrayed in the movie and tried to stop its release.
In an effort to prevent the film from being released, the Trump campaign also threatened potential distributors with legal action. According to THR, the film The Apprentice has seen a significant shift in its backing. Kinematics’ previous involvement has been bought out by James Shani, the project’s producer. Shani’s company, Rich Spirit, will now work with Briarcliff to oversee the film’s theatrical release.
Prior to its October 11 release, the movie will start playing at a number of prestigious fall film festivals. The purpose of this calculated festival circuit is to create anticipation and media interest before the official release. To position the apprentice as a contender in the upcoming awards season, a comprehensive awards campaign is being planned in addition to the festival appearances.
Leading the campaign is Ortenberg, who offers a plethora of experience. The film is anticipated to benefit greatly from his previous roles at Lionsgate, where he oversaw the Oscar-winning film Crash, and at Open Road, where he managed the successful campaign for Spotlight, both of which won Best Picture Oscars.
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote in his Cannes review that Abassi’s film reveals how a fifty-year-old alliance between two men shaped today’s pervasive toxic environment. Rooney emphasized that this partnership was critical to the film’s exploration of contemporary issues.
He noted that the film had received positive reviews, with a 77 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Overall, Rooney praised the film’s success in exploring significant societal issues from a historical perspective.
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