Hollywood Steers-clear of Political Films

 

One movie U.S. audiences may never get to view

At the Cannes fest, a biopic on Donald Trump entitled "The Apprentice" was met with cheering crowds, and received distribution deals in virtually every territory except the U.S.

Dan Snyder, a pro-Trump billionaire, purchased the U.S. distribution rights and reportedly hates the film and has no plans to have the film released into the U.S. market. Scenes in the film have Trump abusing drugs, getting liposuction, and having scalp-reduction surgery (all of which are untrue).

But disregarding this film, Hollywood has been very reluctant to screen political films of any sort - as the financial risks are too high and box office very iffy. The last big American political biopic as "Vice", which grossed only $48 million and cost north of $60 million to produce sans marketing costs.

A good example of Hollywood's current distaste for political films was the demise of Participant Media, which shuttered its doors last year. They had produced Oscar winner "Spotlight" and docs like "An Inconvenient Truth." Or witness Disney's new policy for films as explained by Bob Iger, Disney CEO, "our films need to be to entertain, not be agenda-driven".

Hollywood's antipolitical stance regarding films is indicative of where the populace stands politically. You're either right or left, there is no common ground. So, instead of courting controversy, film distributors are staying away from politically based content altogether. This also includes the major content streamers.  

But, like most things, it comes down to the bottom line. The ability of any product to make money supersedes all and political films have never been big grossers. 

By: Jim Lavorato, Entertainment Equipment Corp.