"The Apprentice," the controversial Donald Trump biopic, has cleared a major hurdle as it sets a fall theatrical release. Kinematics, owned by billionaire former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder, has struck a deal for James Shani's Rich Spirit to acquire the company's stake in the political drama. That's significant because Snyder, a Trump supporter, was reportedly incensed by the film's unflattering portrayal of the real estate mogul and former president as a drug-addicted womanizer heavily influenced by disgraced lawyer and fixer Roy Cohn. Kinematics attributed the departure to "creative differences." Shani's company was among the film's other financial backers.
Sebastian Stan to star as Donald Trump in 'The Apprentice'
Financial terms of the share sale were not disclosed. In a press release touting the deal, Kinematics said it was financing the film’s production and that its involvement was overseen by its founder, Mark Rapaport, and its president, Emanuel Nuñez. The press release made no mention of Snyder.
"As a writer/director, I understand the importance of supporting visionary filmmakers in the independent film world," Rapaport said in a statement. "I created Kinematics on that core principle. After reading the script, I saw great potential in 'The Apprentice' and committed the necessary financing to make it. Unfortunately, creative differences led Kinematics to walk away from the project."
"The Apprentice" was directed by Ali Abbasi and stars Sebastian Stan as Trump, Jeremy Strong as Cohn and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump. The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim, but a battle with Snyder and the filmmakers, as well as legal threats from Trump, made it difficult for the film to secure a distribution deal. The film was eventually sold to Briarcliff Entertainment, a smaller indie, which plans to release the film on Oct. 11. On Tuesday, "The Apprentice" also announced that it would launch a Kickstarter campaign to "keep the film in as many theaters as possible for as long as possible." In exchange for $100 grants, backers will be listed in the credits, while larger pledges will earn people the chance to get one of three toupees that Stan wears onscreen.
