The director of Sebastian Stan's controversial 2024 biopic addresses the movie not performing well at the box office. Stan appeared in the 2008 Anne Hathaway movie Rachel Getting Married and the 2010 Natalie Portman movie Black Swan, but it was 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger that proved to be his breakout performance. James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes became one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most important characters who would go on to star in many future MCU projects, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the upcoming Thunderbolts*.
Stan has had plenty of success outside the MCU as well. He played fan-favorite Once Upon A Time character Jefferson/the Mad Hatter in seasons 1 and 2 of the ABC fantasy series. I, Tonya, which is considered one of Sebastian Stan's best movies, earned him a great deal of acclaim. His career received further recognition, including Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations, for his portrayal of Tommy Lee in Hulu's 2022 series Pam & Tommy.
Sebastian Stan's 2024 Movie The Apprentice Was A Box Office Bomb
It Was Expected To Do Better In The U.S.
The Apprentice, starring Sebastian Stan, received an 83% critical score and 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the positive critical and audience reception, and the timely release of only a month before the 2024 United States presidential election, the Donald Trump biopic only made $12 million at the worldwide box office. In addition to Stan playing Trump, The Apprentice's cast includes Succession's Mark Strong in the role of Roy Cohn, Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, and Martin Donovan as Fred Trump.
The Apprentice sees Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong playing Donald Trump and Roy Cohn, and the movie offers a ton of material to analyze.
While speaking with The Playlist, The Apprentice's director Ali Abbasi candidly explained that he does not understand why the movie did not perform better, particularly in the United States. Beyond the box office numbers, he addresses his bafflement at the movie being deemed controversial. He touches on how the movie's subject matter is already far more controversial than the movie he directed. Check out Abbasi's comments below:
I’m disappointed and shocked about the reception in the U.S. of "The Apprentice." What I’m really shocked about is that the movie is being considered controversial. I’ve said this many times, I still don’t understand. I mean, you’re dealing with someone who is like, it’s like he’s the encyclopedia entry of World Controversial, Donald Trump. I don’t know what’s controversial about the movie.
Our Take On Why The Apprentice Did Not Perform Better At The Box Office
Outside Factors Negatively Affected The Movie
The Apprentice's positive reviews were not enough to help the movie due to the polarizing opinions surrounding Trump. Those who support Trump were likely uninterested in seeing a movie that does not present him in a flattering light. Meanwhile, those who do not support Trump were likely unenthused to see more of him and his life story, especially only a month away from the presidential election when he was already being featured extensively in media coverage. Sebastian Stan's award-worthy performance deserved to be seen by more people in theaters, but outside factors ensured the movie's box office demise.
Source: The Playlist
The Apprentice depicts a young Donald Trump in 1970s New York, highlighting his formative relationship with Roy Cohn, a ruthless attorney. As Trump seeks to establish his own legacy, Cohn identifies him as an ideal protégé, drawn to his ambition and determination to succeed at any cost.
Director Ali Abbasi
Release Date October 11, 2024
Writers Gabriel Sherman
CastSebastian Stan , Jeremy Strong , Maria Bakalova , Emily Mitchell , Martin Donovan , Patch Darragh , Stuart Hughes , Eoin Duffy , Chloe Madison , Ben Sullivan , Mark Rendall , Joe Pingue , Catherine McNally , Charlie Carrick , Jim Monaco , Bruce Beaton , Ian D. Clark , Valerie O'Connor , James Madge , Ron Lea , Edie Inksetter , Michael Hough , Robert J. Tavenor , Raechel Fisher , Stefanie Martino , Randy Thomas , Myron Ron Reider , Sharon Wilcox
English (US) ·