'The Apprentice' Earns $1.58M in Opening Weekend Amid Trump Backlash

Oct 14, 2024, 03:48 PM

The new biographical film 'The Apprentice,' which chronicles the early years of Donald Trump, has faced significant criticism and controversy. Directed by Ali Abbasi and featuring Sebastian Stan as Trump, the film has been described as a 'politically disgusting hatchet job' by Trump himself. Despite receiving mostly positive critical reviews, the film performed poorly at the box office, earning only $1.58 million in its opening weekend from 1,740 locations. The film's writer, Gabriel Sherman, and director Abbasi have both responded to Trump's harsh comments, with Abbasi offering to discuss the matter further. The film, which also stars Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn, has been noted for its portrayal of Trump's transformation from a naive hustler to a more complex figure. The controversy surrounding the film, including legal threats and accusations of defamation, has not helped its commercial performance. Briarcliff distributed the film.