Melania Documentary Earns $7M in Opening Weekend

Amazon MGM Studios' documentary 'Melania' brought in $7 million in ticket sales over its opening weekend in U.S. and Canadian theaters. The film, which follows former first lady Melania Trump during 20 days leading to her husband's second inauguration, hit theaters on January 30, 2026, in 1,778 locations. It beat pre-weekend forecasts of $3 million to $5 million and landed in third place behind a thriller and a horror film. Directed by Brett Ratner, the project cost Amazon $40 million for rights plus heavy marketing spend, marking it as the priciest documentary effort to date.

Background

Work on 'Melania' began right after the 2024 election win by Donald Trump. Production wrapped up quickly to capture events in real time last January. Melania Trump stayed close to the process, keeping a say in what made the final cut. She got $28 million for her role in it. Amazon outbid others like Disney, Netflix, and important with their $40 million offer, which came with a promise of theater release and a planned follow-up series. Trump picked Amazon partly for that wide release option.

The film marks Ratner's return to directing after years away from major projects. He faced sexual misconduct claims from several women in 2017, including actress Olivia Munn. Ratner denied those claims. This is his first feature since then. A preview screening happened at the White House a week before the public debut. Guests included Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Mike Tyson. Other events took place at the Kennedy Center and in 20 cities for supporters. Trump himself called it a must-watch on social media.

Marketing pushed hard with $3.5 million on national TV ads from late December 2025 to late January 2026. Those ads reached over 461 million households, mostly on Fox News shows. A big event at the Las Vegas Sphere added buzz. Total promotion costs ran around $35 million, way more than typical for documentaries like the 2018 Ruth Bader Ginsburg film, which spent just $3 million.

Key Details

Box Office Performance

'Melania' earned $2.9 million on Friday alone, building to $7 million by Sunday. That put it third on the charts. Top spot went to 'Send Help,' a survival thriller with $20 million. 'Iron Lung,' a low-budget sci-fi horror from YouTuber Markiplier, took second at $17.9 million. Other holdovers like 'Zootopia 2' and 'Shelter' followed with $5.8 million and $5.5 million.

Ticket buyers skewed older, with 72% over 55, 72% female, and 75% white. It did best in the South, especially Florida and Texas. Some theaters in conservative areas sold out, but many spots sat mostly empty. In Boston's biggest AMC, just one ticket sold over three showtimes. Fandango data showed only two sellouts among 1,398 screenings. Overseas, results looked weak. UK theaters reported zero sales in most showings. Mexico City averaged under three viewers per screening. One South African distributor backed out right before launch due to recent events. Slovenia, Trump's birthplace, saw some packed houses.

Critics panned it hard. Rotten Tomatoes has 10% positive from 20 reviews. Metacritic scores it 7 out of 100 from 14 critics. Audience reaction differed. CinemaScore gave it an A grade. PostTrak users rated it five stars, with 89% saying they would recommend it.

"I think you will see a lot of emotions, from humor to sadness to grief to celebration, family," Melania Trump said about the film.

David A. Gross from movie consulting firm FranchiseRe called the opening strong for a political doc.

"For any other film, with $75 million in costs and limited foreign potential, it would be a problem," Gross said. "But this is a political investment, not a for-profit movie venture."

Production and Release Notes

Theatrical run lasts a few weeks before it hits Prime Video. Global rollout covered 5,000 screens, but international sales expect to stay low. Trump held editorial control, which drew fire from filmmakers. Some called it more ad than doc, questioning the big payout as a way to gain favor with the government.

What This Means

The $7 million haul sets a high mark for documentaries, best in 14 years outside concert films. Still, against $75 million total spend, theaters alone won't cover costs. Experts see it less as a money-maker and more as a strategic move for Amazon. Gross noted $75 million means little to the company, especially if it smooths issues on taxes, rules, or trade. The film drops during Trump's second term, amid news on immigration and other policies.

Audience split shows clear divides. Strong support from older, Southern crowds matches Trump base patterns. Poor critic scores and empty urban theaters highlight polarization. Low global interest limits earnings abroad. Streaming on Prime could boost views later, pulling in home watchers who skipped theaters.

Ratner's comeback adds layers. His return, backed by studio ties and reported Trump help on other projects, stirs talk in Hollywood. Past claims linger without resolution. For Trump, the $28 million payday comes while in the White House spotlight. Ethics watchers raised flags pre-release, seeing the deal as potential influence peddling.

Box office trends point to niche appeal for political films. Docs on figures like this rarely chase wide crowds. Success here beats past efforts but stays far from fiction blockbusters. Amazon's big bet tests if high spends on timely, divisive topics pay off long-term through streams and buzz. The follow-up series could extend reach. Meanwhile, weekend charts show horror and thrillers dominating, with family holdovers hanging on. 'Melania' carves a spot but shows docs' tough path to profits.