The Apprentice’s September 2024 Kickstarter was intended to help the completed film reach more U.S. theaters and stay there longer—not to pay to make the movie. The campaign set a $100,000 goal; Kickstarter’s current campaign page reports that it ultimately collected $407,486 from 6,287 backers.
Why did The Apprentice launch a Kickstarter?
The campaign, titled “Release The Apprentice,” launched on September 3, 2024, to support the film’s theatrical reach and longevity. TheWrap reported that the aim was to help keep it “in as many theaters as possible for as long as possible.” At the time of the public announcement, $10,300 had already been pledged toward the $100,000 goal; that was a launch-day snapshot, not the campaign’s final total. TheWrap’s launch-day report described the effort as a way to support the release, not production of an unfinished film.
The campaign’s political framing should be understood as advocacy, not a neutral finding about why the film faced distribution challenges. Producer Dan Bekerman said, “Despite the integrity of the film and without even seeing it, Trump’s campaign sought to suppress it.” Kickstarter’s retrospective refers to distribution roadblocks and legal threats preceding the fundraiser, but the available reporting does not quantify why individual distributors passed or establish how much the campaign changed the film’s screen count.
How much did The Apprentice raise on Kickstarter?
Kickstarter’s current campaign page reports $407,486 pledged by 6,287 backers, or 407% of the $100,000 goal. Those are the platform’s retrospective outcome figures, distinct from the $10,300 pledged before the public announcement on September 3, 2024. The page does not provide a use-of-funds accounting, so the reported total does not establish how much was spent on advertising, bookings, legal costs, or any other specific expense. See Kickstarter’s campaign page.
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![The Apprentice [Blu-Ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41j0DT-YsgL._SL160_.jpg)
- The Apprentice [Blu-Ray]
What rewards did the Kickstarter offer?
TheWrap’s launch report described rewards at several pledge levels. The campaign offered a “Backer Badge Kit” to all backers and listed, among other options:
- A $25 pledge level that included streaming access after the theatrical run.
- A $100 pledge level that included a name in a special end-credits section.
- Higher-value rewards that included three toupees worn by Sebastian Stan in the film.
- VIP tickets to the New York premiere.
These are the terms described at launch; the reporting does not establish whether every reward was ultimately fulfilled. The campaign rewards were not the same as later retail home-video editions.
Rank #2
![Apprentice To Murder [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51isUd5jt8L._SL160_.jpg)
- Apprentice To Murder
What is the film about, and why was its release contentious?
Written by Gabriel Sherman, The Apprentice is a scripted drama inspired by true events. Sebastian Stan plays Donald Trump, Jeremy Strong plays lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn, and Maria Bakalova plays Ivana Trump. The story follows Trump in 1970s New York as he comes under Cohn’s influence. Its dramatized scenes should not be read as independently verified accounts of disputed events.
The film’s release drew a public dispute with Trump’s campaign. At Cannes in May 2024, spokesperson Steven Cheung called the movie “pure fiction” and threatened legal action, according to the Associated Press. The AP also reported that director Ali Abbasi offered to privately screen it for Trump, saying he would meet “wherever he wants” to discuss its context and have a conversation afterward. The cited reporting establishes the threat and the offer, not that a lawsuit was later filed or adjudicated. The Associated Press reported on the exchange at Cannes.
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- Factory sealed DVD
In August 2024, Briarcliff Entertainment acquired U.S. distribution, and TheWrap described a planned wide release before the November election. Executive producer Amy Baer characterized the movie differently from its critics, saying, “The Apprentice is first and foremost humanist, which makes it radically different from all the political noise.” The campaign’s effort to support theatrical availability followed that contentious distribution and political context, but the available sources do not measure its precise effect on the release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the Kickstarter fund the movie or its theatrical release?
It was presented as support for the film’s theatrical release—not as production financing for the movie itself. The fundraising pitch focused on keeping a completed film in theaters longer and in more locations. A later way to watch or collect the film is through home-video editions: Métropole Films documents a French-market DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo released February 13, 2025, while Amazon lists DVD and Blu-ray formats. Editions, language options, sellers, and availability vary by region; these discs were not Kickstarter rewards. Métropole Films’ edition information and Amazon’s listing document those formats.
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