The U.S. First Lady, Melania Trump, is reportedly happy with how the movie performed at the box office on its opening weekend. However, it could end up flopping for Amazon MGM Studios, which spent around $75 million on its making, including $40 million to acquire the rights to the film and $35 million on marketing the film.
The documentary was filmed 20 days prior to the 2025 presidential inauguration. A team follows Melania Trump around as she prepares herself to take on the responsibilities of the first lady once again.
However, while the film’s $7 million debut might seem promising on paper, we should keep in mind that it was released in almost 1800 theaters around the U.S., generating a mere $3,960 per theater.
Although the film has successfully surpassed the $5 million debut of the 2023 documentary After Death’s, it could not outshine Michael Moore’s political documentary 9/11, which gathered a whopping $23.9 on its opening week.
The bottom line about “Melania:” Amazon MGM Studios is touting strong ticket sales, but the film is still far far short of turning a profit, i.e. the typical Hollywood metric for success. https://t.co/fLDOdVyMyL pic.twitter.com/f3wG2am8O0
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 1, 2026
EntTelligence data shows that nearly 53% of ticket sales come from areas predominantly populated by Republican voters. The film performed well in conservative states like Texas and Florida, with most sales coming from rural theatres.
Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM’s head of domestic theater distribution, released a statement saying that the studio is happy with the public’s response to the film, “We’re very encouraged by the strong start and positive audience response, with early box office for ‘Melania’ exceeding our expectations. This momentum is an important first step in what we see as a long-tail lifecycle for both the film and the forthcoming docuseries, extending well beyond the theatrical window and into what we believe will be a significant run for both on our service.”
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Kevin also said that he is hopeful Melania will reach more people’s hearts once it is released on Amazon’s OTT platform.
The movie has also been released globally, including in the UK and Canada. The Guardian reports that the 104-minute documentary only sold three tickets on its release day at a theater in Islington.
The movie is rated a poor 10% on Rotten Tomatoes. While critics have argued that the movie is poorly made, only focusing on meetings and private conversations that lack creative input, President Trump calls it a “MUST WATCH.”
Despite capturing her day-to-day activities, including important meetings and private conversations, Melania is not ready to call the film a documentary. “A deliberate act of authorship” is how she describes the film. “Inviting you to witness events and emotions through a window of rich imagery. It is a created experience that offers perspectives, insights, and moments that only a few have seen,” she stated at the premiere of the movie.
