Melania Trump Surprises With $8 Million Opening in the US (Image: X/ MELANIATRUMP)
The new documentary Melania, about US First Lady Melania Trump, had a mixed and surprising start at the box office. In the United States, it opened to an estimated $8 million in ticket sales over its first weekend, which was more than some expected for a political documentary. However, outside the US, especially in the United Kingdom, the film has struggled badly to attract audiences and sell tickets.
The movie was directed by Brett Ratner, marking his return to feature directing. It follows Melania Trump during the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, showing her work, family moments, and public life. Reports say that Amazon MGM Studios reportedly paid $40 million for the rights to the project and spent another $35 million on global marketing, a huge budget for a documentary.
As reports, in the US, early box office estimates placed Melania’s weekend take around $8 million, which is a decent start compared to projections of $1–$5 million from some industry trackers. Still, that number is seen as modest considering the film’s big money and heavy promotion.
In the UK, things were very different. Ticket sales have been described as “soft” by Vue Cinemas CEO Tim Richards, with almost no people booking seats ahead of the premiere. For example, at a London cinema’s afternoon screening, only one ticket was sold, and just two for the evening show. Many screenings had zero advance ticket purchases at all. Richards said that, despite criticism over showing the politically sensitive film, his company would screen it because it was legally cleared by the British Board of Film Classification.
Some cinemas across the UK reported no sales at all for the documentary, even with heavy marketing and news coverage. Reports say that people joked online about how poor the turnout was, and social media was flooded with images of empty theaters.
Critics have also been harsh on the documentary itself, calling it staged, overly flattering, and lacking depth. One review noted that it was “insipid” and compared it to a “shameless infomercial.” Despite this, Melania Trump praised the film’s premiere as “beautiful” and “fashionable” when it debuted at Washington’s Kennedy Center.
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