Johnny Depp gives Donald Trump the Funny or Die treatment in surprise biopic

The "Art of the Deal" 50-minute spoof also stars Patton Oswalt

By Sophia Tesfaye

Senior Politics Editor

Published February 10, 2016 4:30PM (EST)

 (Funny or Die)
(Funny or Die)

Without warning the creators of Funny or Die welcomed Donald Trump's first place finish in New Hampshire with the release of a new 50-minute film starring Johnny Depp as Trump.

"With Donald Trump somehow still in prime-position to become the next President of the United States, Funny Or Die has released what might end up being the most politically important film in American history," reads Funny or Die's statement.

“Funny or Die Presents Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie,” is a comedic take on Trump's bestselling 1987 book. Meant to air originally in the 1980s as a one hour television special, Trump supposedly buried the film in anger after being preempted by Monday night football.

“Hi, I’m Ron Howard, and you can probably guess that I love film,” director Ron Howard introduces the long lost film supposedly unearthed at a "yard sale outside of Phoenix, Arizona."

Depp as Trump is the film's writer-producer-director-star and sets up the film by recalling the first time he saw an image of the Taj Mahal on his 10th birthday, calling the mausoleum "easily the classiest thing ever built by a Muslim."

"It changed my life," Depp as Trump declares, explaining that on that day he set forth to buy his own Taj Mahal. How Trump wrestled ownership of the Atlantic City casino from Merv Griffin is the storyline for Funny or Die's "The Art of the Deal: The Movie.”

According to the New York Times, Depp spent four days in early December taping the film and brought a whole team of professionals just to help style his hair. Funny or Die co-founder Adam McKay also got Kenny Loggins to write the film's theme song and aid the 1980s feel. The film also stars Alfred Molina, Robert Morse, Patton Oswalt (as Merv Griffin), Jack McBrayer, Michaela Watkins (as Ivanna Trump), Henry Winkler, Stephen Merchant, Kristen Schaal, Andy Richter, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel, and Alf (yes, that Alf).

Watch the Art of the Deal trailer below or the entire film over at Funny or Die:

Johnny Depp Stars as Donald Trump in a New Funny or Die Biopic


By Sophia Tesfaye

Sophia Tesfaye is Salon's senior editor for news and politics, and resides in Washington, D.C. You can find her on Twitter at @SophiaTesfaye.

MORE FROM Sophia Tesfaye


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2016 Republican Primary Aol_on Comedy Donald Trump Funny Or Die Johnny Depp Patton Oswalt Ron Howard Video