Sylvester Stallone, wild horses, speedboats, and drones all made appearances at President Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong Un on Tuesday — in a mock movie trailer the White House made for the historic sit-down.
The exact details of their conversation, meant to address the growing threat of nuclear war, remain scant, but Trump did tell reporters that he showed Kim the video on his iPad. The trailer shows the two world leaders as heroes for peace — but also alludes, with dark images of war, what will happen if the negotiations don’t go well for Kim. The diplomatic pomp mirrors that of the summit, where Trump and Kim signed a “comprehensive” deal that doesn’t mean much at all.
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“Destiny Pictures presents a story of opportunity,” the voiceover says as images of industry, cities, and fighter planes rolls across the screen. “A new story, a new beginning. One of peace. Two men, two leaders, one destiny.”
(There’s an actual Destiny Pictures production company, but it doesn’t appear to be in any way affiliated with the White House or involved with the trailer.)
READ: North Korea broadcast an opera about miners to distract from the Trump-Kim summit
Trump also showed reporters the video just before taking the stage in Singapore for a post-meeting press conference.
“We had it made up by — I hope you liked it. I thought it was good,” Trump said. “I thought it was interesting enough to show. One in English and one in Korean. We had it made up. I showed it to them today. Actually during the meeting. Toward the end of the meeting. I think he loved it. They were — we didn’t have a big screen like you have the luxury. We had it on cassette. An iPad.”
The U.S. president, however, brushed off reporters’ concerns that North Koreans could use the video as propaganda and even suggested that he’d consider using the trailer-diplomacy approach with other countries.
“Featuring President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un — in a meeting to remake history,” the voiceover says at the end of the trailer. “To shine in the sun. One moment, one choice, what if? The future remains to be written.”
Stallone also appears in the trailer, standing next to Trump in the Oval Office. (Stallone was at the White House for the signing of boxer Jack Johnson’s pardon last month.) Noted symbols of world peace like speedboats, galloping wild horses, a VR headset, a drone delivering a package, and fighter jets also pepper the film’s odd plot.
READ: 12 things you need to know about the Trump-Kim summit
Kim Jong-Un’s father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, was a noted cinephile. He had a collection of some 20,000 movies, loved Elizabeth Taylor, and kidnapped South Korea’s most renowned director, Shin Sang-ok, , in the 1980s and forced him to make movies, including Pulgasari, a communist version of Godzilla.
Kim Jong-Un’s love for film, if he has one, isn’t as well-documented as his dad’s, but that didn’t stop Trump from trying.
And here’s a version of the video viewed from the press briefing room, to assuage any doubts about its prominence at the summit.
Cover image: Screenshot via White House trailer
