The ‘Melania’ documentary fared better than expected in movie theaters : NPR

First lady Melania Trump’s documentary outperformed box office expectations during its opening weekend, bringing in about $7 million domestically.

Audience members were largely white (75%), women (70%), and 55 or over (72%). Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta and West Palm Beach were among the top markets over the weekend, according to data from Amazon MGM Studios.

Amazon acquired the rights to the movie in early 2025 for $40 million. The company ran a flashy rollout for the film, spending $35 million on marketing, leading to questions about whether such a hefty price tag included earning President Trump’s favor — or trying to. Melania is one of the most expensive documentary films ever made, with the first lady herself taking on the role of an executive producer.

Critics have panned the movie, which premiered at the Kennedy Center last week with protesters dressed as Marie Antoinette outside. TikTokers encouraged viewers to instead watch Becoming, Michelle Obama’s 2020 Netflix documentary, which broke the service’s top 10 most popular movies in the U.S. over the weekend.

Documentaries rarely receive wide theatrical releases, but Melania opened on more than 1,500 screens throughout the U.S. this weekend. Ahead of the film’s global release on Friday, many on social media shared photos of their local theaters in which nearly every seat for Melania showings remained available for purchase. Analysts were predicting ticket sales in the $5 million range — making the $7 million box office good news for Amazon.

For a sense of scale: The top-grossing film this weekend was the survival horror thriller Send Help, which brought in $20 million. Following close behind was Iron Lung, also a horror film, at nearly $18 million.

But, writes David A. Gross in his industry newsletter FranchiseRe, “This is an excellent opening for a political documentary, at more than double the average for the genre … These are small movies, and this is a big start for a documentary.”

Gross told NPR via email that the film’s audience “matches with the Trump fan base. The weekend audience gave the film a glowing A CinemaScore,” which polls moviegoers. “They see Melania as an accomplished role model — someone they look up to.”

“As good as this opening is for a documentary,” says Gross in his newsletter, “for any other film, with $75 million in costs and limited foreign potential, it would be a problem.”

Amazon is undeterred. Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of domestic theatrical distribution, said in a statement that the box office numbers exceeded expectations — and that a docuseries would be on the way.

“This momentum is an important first step in what we see as a long-tail lifecycle for both the film and the forthcoming docu-series, extending well beyond the theatrical window and into what we believe will be a significant run for both on our service.”

A notoriously private person, the first lady has gained a reputation as a mysterious figure who closely controls her public image. Melania follows the first lady during the 20 days leading up to President Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, including preparation for a candle-lit inaugural dinner at which the camera breezes by Jeff Bezos multiple times. Cameras also follow the design process for her inauguration outfits, and her grieving process after her mother Amalija Knavs’ death.

At the New York Stock Exchange last week, the first lady hailed the documentary as “a window into an important period for America.”

Editor’s note: Amazon is among NPR’s recent financial supporters and pays to distribute some NPR content.