Michael Moore to release surprise Trump film in L.A. on Wednesday

Filmmaker Michael Moore has never been one to hold back his opinions on U.S. politics — and this election season will be no different.

On Tuesday, the 62-year-old documentarian revealed that he has been secretly working on a film about Donald Trump, “Michael Moore in Trumpland,” that he plans to release in Los Angeles and New York on Wednesday. He announced the news on his Twitter account, adding that the movie will screen for the first time — free of charge — at New York’s IFC Center on Tuesday evening.

The film is based on a one-man show Moore tried to mount in Ohio last month. The performance at a theater “in the heart of Trump country” was canceled after it was deemed “too controversial,” Moore said in a Facebook post. A few days later, he found another Ohio venue willing to host him, and put on his show there earlier this month.

According to a synopsis posted on the IFC Center’s website, much of the “TrumpLand” footage was likely filmed at that Ohio gig. “See the film Ohio Republicans tried to shut down,” the description reads. “Oscar-winner Michael Moore dives right into hostile territory with his daring and hilarious one-man show, deep in the heart of TrumpLand in the weeks before the 2016 election.”

On Wednesday, the movie will be available for purchase on iTunes, the same day it opens at the IFC Center and the Laemmle theater in Encino. The entire plan came together last-minute, said a publicist who was hired Monday to promote the film. “TrumpLand” was booked in theaters less than 24 hours ago, and Moore was putting the final touches on it late Monday evening.

Moore’s previous film, “Where to Invade Next,” received a wide release earlier this year and grossed $3.8 million. The documentary followed the filmmaker as he traveled to different countries, comparing how those outside America view issues like healthcare, education and race.

It was Moore’s first film in six years, following the success of his more popular documentaries “Sicko” and “Fahrenheit 9/11.” The latter movie, which examined why the Bush administration invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, collected over $222 million worldwide and is still the highest-grossing documentary ever released.

amy.kaufman@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @AmyKinLA

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