Amazon’s Melania Documentary Hits $7M in Opening Weekend
The documentary “Melania,” a feature centered on First Lady Melania Trump, surpassed initial box office projections during its debut weekend. Sunday estimates indicate the film earned $7.04 million, outperforming pre-release forecasts that had anticipated a total between $3 million and $5 million.
Despite the stronger-than-expected start, the film secured the third spot in the weekend box office rankings. It trailed behind the Sam Raimi-directed thriller “Send Help,” which brought in $20 million, and “Iron Lung,” a video game adaptation by YouTuber Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) that earned $17.8 million.
Financial and Strategic Hurdles
Amazon’s financial commitment to the project remains a point of industry contention. The company reportedly acquired the rights for $40 million and allocated an additional $35 million for marketing. Given these figures, the film is unlikely to achieve theatrical profitability.
Industry speculation regarding Amazon’s motivations has been intense, particularly because the company’s acquisition bid was $26 million higher than that of the runner-up, Disney. Ted Hope, a veteran film executive who served at Amazon from 2015 to 2020, suggested to The New York Times that the project is likely the most expensive documentary produced without the need for music licensing.
“How can it not be equated with currying favor or an outright bribe?” Hope questioned regarding the nature of the deal. “How can that not be the case?”
Production and Critical Reception
The documentary marks the first directorial effort from Brett Ratner since 2017, the year he faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment—claims he has consistently denied. The production faced internal friction as well; according to Rolling Stone, two-thirds of the New York-based crew requested to remain uncredited.
The film’s reception by critics has been largely negative:
- Metacritic: Holds a 7% rating, signifying “overwhelming dislike.”
- Rotten Tomatoes: Currently sits at 10%.
- Expert Analysis: NYT critic Manohla Dargis characterized the film as a “carefully stage-managed chronicle” covering the 20 days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration.
While Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly attended a preview screening at the White House, the film was not shown to critics ahead of its release. Looking ahead, Kevin Wilson, head of domestic theatrical distribution at Amazon MGM, stated that the weekend represents an “important first step” in a broader strategy that includes an upcoming docu-series intended for the Prime streaming service.