'Melania' Documentary Opens to $7 Million Despite Critics
Studio estimates show "Melania" earned $7 million in its Jan. 30–Feb. 1 opening weekend after Amazon MGM paid $40 million for the rights.
USA TODAY'Melania,' panned by critics, still makes history. What could it mean?
Boston Globe‘Melania,’ panned by some film critics, opens with strong ticket sales for a documentary
Daily BeastAmazon Uses Creative Math to Crown 'Melania' a Success
NBC News'Melania' doc beats box office expectations despite criticism, poor reviews
Overview
"Melania," a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump directed by Brett Ratner, earned an estimated $7 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales in its Jan. 30–Feb. 1 opening weekend, studio estimates and Comscore show.
Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the film's rights and spent about $35 million on marketing, a combined figure some outlets and industry analysts describe as roughly $75 million.
Kevin Wilson, head of domestic theatrical distribution for Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement Sunday the studio was "very encouraged" and cited a forthcoming Prime Video window and a docuseries as part of a long-tail strategy.
Comscore and PostTrak data show the film opened in 1,778 theaters and that 72% of opening-weekend buyers were women and 72% were age 55 or older, analysts said.
The Hollywood Reporter called the film "an expensive propaganda doc" and Rotten Tomatoes showed an 11% critics score, but audiences gave the film an "A" CinemaScore and Amazon said it will stream on Prime Video after its theatrical run.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by juxtaposing box-office gains with repeated emphasis on costs, political ties, and controversy. Editorial choices—terms like "whopping" and "eye-popping," highlighting White House backing, Ratner's misconduct allegations, and critics’ pejorative reviews—create a skeptical narrative, while audience scores and demographics are presented as counterpoints.
FAQ
The documentary earned an estimated $7 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales during its January 30–February 1 opening weekend.
Amazon MGM paid $40 million for the rights and spent about $35 million on marketing, totaling roughly $75 million.
The film has an 11% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and was called 'an expensive propaganda doc' by The Hollywood Reporter, while audiences gave it an 'A' CinemaScore.
Directed by Brett Ratner, 72% of opening-weekend buyers were women and 72% were age 55 or older.
Amazon MGM plans a Prime Video streaming window and a docuseries as part of a long-tail strategy.
