‘This is Trump’s origin story’: Bill Maher says it ‘bothers’ him no one wants to release ‘The Apprentice’ movie in the US

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bill Maher fervently advocated on his HBO show 'Real Time With Bill Maher' for the US release of 'The Apprentice', a Cannes competition film featuring Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Emmy-winner Jeremy Strong as Trump’s lawyer, Roy Cohn.

Maher lauded the film's quality, remarking, “It looks great."

 He added, “This is Trump’s origin story under the tutelage of Roy Cohn.”

Directed by acclaimed Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi and written by Gabe Sherman, 'The Apprentice' explores Donald Trump’s rise to power in 1980s America under the influence of the firebrand right-wing attorney Roy Cohn.

Bill Maher's frustration over 'The Apprentice' not releasing in the US

Despite international distribution deals already secured in numerous countries, Maher expressed dismay that the film was yet to find a US distributor, stating, “It’s being released in Japan, Canada, the UK, Germany, [but] no one here will touch it. It bothers me so much.”

Deadline had previously reported on the extensive international distribution agreements orchestrated by Rocket Science, including deals in Italy (BIM), Spain (Vertigo Films), and Scandinavia (Nordisk), among others.

Anticipation had been high for a US distribution deal following the film’s premiere at Cannes, but legal concerns and dissent among financiers, including controversial scenes such as one between Trump and his former wife Ivana, have stalled progress.

Maher criticized the hesitation within the industry. He said, “Find a way to release this movie.”

Bill Maher and guests critique Donald Trump’s influence and cancel culture

During the discussion, Maher highlighted Trump’s methods of exerting influence across various sectors, remarking, “First he intimidates the congress people…then he intimidates juries, and now he’s intimidating THIS town? Oy.”

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a guest on the show, commented on Trump’s influence, stating, “He is very good at manipulation, at leverage, at the use of power."

He referenced the Dominion lawsuit against Fox News as an example of Trump's impact on media narratives.

Cuomo continued, “That’s his power: He’s got the dog whistle to his cult.”

Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger added his perspective on the weaponization of cancel culture, saying, “They have weaponized Cancel Culture... Now it’s, ‘We don’t like this movie that makes our guy look bad.’ And that’s a dangerous precedent.”

Maher concluded by championing the importance of access to diverse viewpoints in media, asserting, “I’m an American and I want to see the movies that I want!”