I already tackled how almost every studio has balked at the idea of distributing Ali Abassi’s “The Apprentice,” an ‘80s Donald Trump movie that just screened at Cannes. It’s now come to the point where Abassi is going on social media to express his own frustrations about the situation.
Abassi responded to a report from The Nation about this summer’s abysmal box-office numbers by implying that his film could have been a hit, if only studios actually had the guts to release it:
We have a new proposition for you. Its not a fucking sequel nor is it a fucking remake. Its called #The_Apprentice and for some reason certain power people in your country don’t want you to see it!!!
Abassi also retweeted a Matt Belloni post which included the quote “remember when Hollywood wasn’t filled with total wusses?”
What did Abassi expect? Making a Trump movie in 2024 was already a wildly divisive decision, and the fact that he included a rape scene in the film should not surprise him that Trump is openly threatening to sue any distributor who dares touch this film.
To make matters worse, one of the film’s investors, billionaire Dan Snyder, is angry that the film kept the rape scene, he’s now threatening to withold the film from distribution. Snyder, a Republican and Trump donor, has a film investment company that will ultimately decide any sell — he has veto power. So, good luck on that front. It’s not just studios and Trump preventing this film from being sold, but also its main producer!
Just to recap, the big four streamers (Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and Apple) have all passed on “The Apprentice”. So have Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics, Focus, A24, HBO and Lionsgate. They’re all a firm NO. Also, forget about Warner Bros, Paramount and Universal. I was also told Neon is out.
So, what are the options left? Vertical, Ketchup, Mubi, Utopia, Quiver, Roadside Attractions, Magnolia, or even Samuel Goldwyn. These aren’t companies who would cover the $20 million cost it took to produce “The Apprentice.”
According to Variety, some U.S. distributors passed on “The Apprentice” because it “humanizes Trump too much.” Another buyer stayed on the sidelines because releasing the movie “will require inordinate legal resources.” This is turning into a real mess and I’d be shocked if this film sees the light of day any time soon.
Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.