On April 15, 2024, Blue Ant Studios announced the acquisition of international distribution rights to the documentary “Stormy,” which chronicles the life and controversies of former adult film star Stormy Daniels. The announcement coincided with the beginning of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York on April 15, over alleged hush money payments made to Daniels.
“Stormy” is available in two formats: two one-hour episodes or a single two-hour feature. The documentary is currently streaming on Peacock in the U.S. and will now reach a global audience through Blue Ant Studios. The film is produced by Emmy-nominated producers Erin Lee Carr, known for “I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter,” and Sarah Gibson, who directed “Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste.”
The documentary delves into Daniels’ allegations of an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, claims that Trump has consistently denied. These allegations resurfaced in the media spotlight due to payments made by Trump’s attorney, Michael Cohen, purportedly to prevent Daniels from disclosing the affair during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The payment and its implications are central to the criminal charges Trump faces.
Blue Ant Studios’ global head of acquisitions and content strategy, Lilla Hurst, expressed enthusiasm about acquiring the rights to “Stormy,” describing the film as offering “exclusive access into a David and Goliath battle and the consequences of being the voice of dissent against someone with ultimate power.”
Judd Apatow serves as one of the executive producers of the documentary, alongside Sara Bernstein and Meredith Kaulfers from Imagine Documentaries. Their involvement underscores the high-profile nature of the film within the documentary genre.
The strategic release of “Stormy” alongside the unfolding legal drama involving Donald Trump adds a layer of real-time relevance to its distribution. It reflects the ongoing public and media interest in the intersection of celebrity, politics, and legal controversies.
In terms of impact, distributing “Stormy” internationally allows for a broader examination of themes such as consent, women’s rights, and power dynamics in the legal and political arenas. The documentary aims to foster discussion and awareness by providing a detailed account of Daniels’ story and the significant media and legal storm it created.
As “Stormy” begins its global distribution journey, viewers around the world will have the opportunity to engage with this compelling narrative, which has already sparked discussions and will continue to influence public conversations about significant societal issues.