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Exclusive | Filmmaker Param Gill reveals Bad President sequel plans after OTT surge; lead actors to return
Five years after, the Donald Trump-themed satire Bad President has surged in popularity, recently becoming one of the most-viewed films on OTT in America.
US-based filmmaker Param Gill’s satirical film Bad President was quietly released in 2020 to little fanfare. However, five years later, the Donald Trump-themed satire has surged in popularity, recently becoming one of the most-viewed films on OTT platforms in America.
Buoyed by the renewed buzz and audience response, the makers are now gearing up for a sequel. The original starred actor Jeff Rector as the president alongside comedian Eddie Griffin.
Speaking exclusively to HT City, Gill confirms that Bad President 2 is in the works with both lead actors returning. “Yes, we are working on the sequel and plan to begin shooting in the summer with Jeff, Eddie, and others. This time, the film focuses on Trump’s journey to a second term as president,” says the dentist-turned-director, who also penned the script.
Gill candidly admits that when the film was initially released on a video-on-demand model, it did not make a major impact.
“It was a post-lockdown period, and the film didn’t make many waves, though it travelled to several film festivals. Recently, we noticed it gaining significant buzz, trending, and featuring among the top-viewed films in America for back-to-back weeks,” he reveals. “We started getting demands for a sequel and have received the green light from the distributor for Bad President 2. We now have a script in place, and the plot is perfect for a satire about the president’s second term.”
Offering a glimpse into the film’s premise, he shares, “The satire revolves around Trump becoming president by exchanging his soul with the devil, played by Eddie. The sequel begins with campaigning for the second term. Again, it’s a fantasy comedy with no connection to party lines. It will explore the changing landscape, not just in the US but across the world.”
Param, who hails from Moga in Punjab, has made several international and Hindi films, including Going to America (2015) and Hotel Hollywood (2010). “When we released the film in 2020, we faced many challenges, but it finally came out and reached the masses organically. We are geared up to face whatever comes our way this time, too!” he signs off.
