The documentary Melania opened in North America with about $7 million in ticket sales, a rare theatrical showing for a film centered on a sitting first lady and a result that cleared pre-release expectations. Amazon MGM Studios released it in 1,778 theaters, after paying $40 million for the rights and backing a marketing push widely reported at roughly $35 million.
TheWrap attributed much of the turnout to older women in Donald Trump’s support base, and early audience data in the same report showed a heavy skew: 72% women over 55. That cohort tends to buy tickets late, which can blunt presale-based forecasting even when interest runs high.
The film’s path to theaters has carried political and business overtones from the start. Melania Trump serves as an executive producer, and the rollout included a premiere at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and other high-profile events. In public promotion, President Trump called it “a must watch,” while studio leaders framed the opening weekend as the first step of a longer life that extends to streaming and a related series.
Critics were largely shut out before release, and reviews that arrived once the film hit screens leaned sharply negative. Ticket buyers answered differently: the film earned an “A” grade from CinemaScore, and it played strongest in Southern states such as Florida and Texas, according to industry tracking cited in reporting.
Analysts also questioned the economics. David A. Gross, who runs the consulting firm FranchiseRe, called the opening “excellent” for a political documentary, then argued that the spending makes sense if the project functions as a political investment rather than a profit play. Director Brett Ratner, returning to filmmaking after years away amid misconduct allegations he has denied, downplayed expectations at the premiere: “You can’t expect a documentary to play in theaters.”
