A self-titled documentary about Melania Trump, "Melania," has premiered in theaters and held multiple screenings, detailing her life in the 20 days leading up to January 20, 2025, the date of President Trump's second inauguration. The film, produced by Amazon MGM Studios with Melania Trump as an executive producer, has generated significant discussion regarding its budget, box office performance, and critical reception.
Production and Development
The documentary, also referred to as "Melania: Twenty Days to History" and "Twenty Days to History," offers a look into Melania Trump's activities and preparations for her role as First Lady. This includes elements such as planning for an inaugural dinner, designing inaugural outfits, and her grieving process following her mother Amalija Knavs' death. The film also features appearances by Donald Trump, with scenes depicting communication between the couple.
Melania Trump described the film as "purposeful storytelling" and "a window into an important period for America."
Brett Ratner, known for the Rush Hour film series, directed the documentary. Ratner previously faced allegations of sexual assault and harassment in 2017, which he has denied. He also issued a statement regarding a photograph with Jeffrey Epstein, asserting he did not have a personal relationship with him.
Melania Trump served as an executive producer on the project, maintaining full editorial control over creative direction, production, post-production, editing, and the international advertising campaign, including music selection and trailer creation. This level of involvement led to commentary from some industry observers who suggested it placed the film in the realm of public relations rather than traditional documentary filmmaking. Marc Beckman, a senior adviser and producer for the film, confirmed her significant creative input.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly agreed to distribute the film following a dinner with the Trumps at Mar-a-Lago. Amazon acquired the film rights for $40 million, with reports indicating that Melania Trump received $28 million from this licensing deal. An additional $35 million was allocated for global promotion and marketing, bringing the total reported cost to approximately $75 million, though some reports cited a figure of $107 million. Amazon's acquisition price was noted to have surpassed Disney's bid by $26 million, leading to speculation about the company's motivations. Director Brett Ratner denied claims that the film was a favor to the Trumps, stating the budget facilitated hiring top crew and composers. Donald Trump indicated he was not involved in negotiation, while Melania Trump stated Amazon was chosen for its agreement to screen the film globally.
Screenings and Release
The documentary premiered in theaters, including a red carpet event and screening at the Trump Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., attended by Melania and Donald Trump. An earlier, intimate screening was held at the White House for approximately 70 guests.
Melania Trump described the White House screening as a "historic" and "deeply humbling" moment.
Attendees included Barron Trump, Queen Rania of Jordan, Mike Tyson, Tony Robbins, designer Adam Lippes, fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth, and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Cook's attendance drew criticism.
"Melania" debuted theatrically on January 30, with a runtime of 104 minutes, opening on over 1,400 screens across the U.S. and scheduled for screening in 27 countries. In addition to wide release, 21 invitation-only screenings were held across the U.S. Some Thursday screenings were reportedly canceled due to low ticket sales, and later, Friday morning screenings experienced unexpected delays, which distributors attributed to communication issues.
Marketing efforts, costing $35 million, included advertisements on billboards, television, subway stations, public buses, and a black-and-white trailer projected onto the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Box Office Performance
The film was initially projected to earn $5 million during its opening weekend by the National Research Group (NRG). However, "Melania" grossed approximately $7 million domestically in its initial weekend, with some reports citing up to $8 million or $7.2 million, surpassing these projections. This performance marked the highest opening for a non-fiction documentary in over a decade, excluding concert and nature films. The film's domestic total reached $11.8 million by the Friday of its second weekend.
Despite the domestic performance, the film's international box office figures were lower, ranking 29th in the UK and 31st in Australia. In Australia, it earned $32,399 from 33 cinemas during its opening weekend.
Claims of "fake ticket sales" or bulk purchases, potentially distributed for free to boost audience numbers, were reported by some outlets. However, distributor Amazon and cinema chains AMC and Regal stated they did not experience unusual block purchases. An industry analyst acknowledged the documentation on such claims was "sketchy."
President Trump claimed on social media that tickets were "Selling out, FAST!", though reports indicated modest ticket sales in major cities. Filmfinity, the South African distributor, pulled the film from local theaters citing "recent developments" without further disclosure. Separately, Amazon withdrew the film from an Oregon cinema after its owner displayed humorous messages about the movie on the marquee.
Audience Demographics and Reception
Audience analysis indicated that the film's viewers were predominantly white (75-72%), female (70-72%), and aged 55 or older (72-83%). Key markets for the film included Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, and West Palm Beach. Moviegoers awarded the film an "A CinemaScore."
Critically, "Melania" received largely negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film held a critic score ranging from 5% to 8%. It scored 6 out of 100 on Metacritic and 1.3/10 on the Internet Movie Database. Critics described the film as "dispiriting, deadly and unrevealing," "a highly flattering depiction," and offering "few new insights." Donald Trump, however, praised the film at a private White House screening, calling it "really great" and commenting that it "brings back a glamour."
In contrast to critical reviews, the film registered a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This significant disparity led to speculation about bot manipulation to inflate the audience rating. Versant, the parent company of Rotten Tomatoes, issued a statement denying bot manipulation and clarifying that all audience reviews displayed are "VERIFIED reviews," meaning users had purchased a ticket to the film. Rolling Stone reported that "Melania" holds the record for the largest disparity between critic and audience reviews in Rotten Tomatoes' history.
Context and Future Plans
The release of "Melania" coincided with a notable increase in viewership for Michelle Obama's 2020 documentary, "Becoming." During "Melania"'s opening weekend, "Becoming" experienced a 13,000% rise in U.S. viewership, accumulating 47.5 million minutes viewed.
Amazon MGM Studios stated that the film's strong theatrical performance validated their distribution strategy, aiming to build awareness before its debut on Prime Video. Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM distribution chief, announced plans for a docuseries, describing the film's momentum as a crucial first step in a "long-tail lifecycle." The streaming release date for "Melania" on Prime Video has not yet been announced but is expected "relatively soon."