steve bannon Toronto

Steve Bannon is coming to Toronto but TIFF appearance in doubt

The Toronto International Film Festival kicks off tomorrow in full force, but the hottest news coming out of Hollywood right now pertains to former White House Chief Strategist and far-right media stalwart Steve Bannon.

Bannon, 64, has been cast as the new Spider-Man in Marvel's long-running superhero franchise of the same name, replacing Tom Holland as a lithe and youthful guy in tights who does whatever a spider can.

Hahahaha, just kidding. He is starring in a film, however — one that's set to have its North American premier on Sunday at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto.

American Dharma, a documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Errol Morris, is described as "a probing portrait of controversial Breitbart honcho and Trump advisor, Stephen K. Bannon."

Coincidentally (or maybe not), the polarizing populist political advisor was also just announced as a guest of honour for November's Munk Debate on "The Rise of Populism" in Toronto. 

This, just two days after being dropped by the New Yorker Festival due to backlash following the announcement of his appearance.

The New York Times reports that several high-profile guests vowed to drop out of that festival on Tuesday within 30 minutes of Bannon being announced as a guest; John Mulaney, Judd Apatow, Jack Antonoff and Jim Carrey among them.

TIFF confirmed that Bannon has not been not invited to the screening of the film about him in Toronto this weekend, and that "there is no indication that he plans to attend."

That said, he did show up in Venice last night to watch the documentary's world premier despite being advised against it by venue security.

Bannon is said to have stealthily entered the screening through a side door, prompting industry buffs to wonder if he'll try to do the same thing at the Lightbox on Sunday.

The film consists largely of interview clips between Morris and Bannon, who talk about everything from working for U.S. President Donald Trump to "the violent alt-right rally in Charlottesville."

Those who don't get a chance to see it can still watch Bannon face off against David Frum in a Munk Debate on "The Rise of Populism" at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall on November 2.

Unless, of course, he gets dropped from that event too. The people of Toronto are already furious.

And shocked.

And disappointed.

On the plus side, Spider-Man is still being portrayed by the adorable Tom Holland. Not Steve Bannon.

Lead photo by

TIFF


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