This weekend sees the release of a controversially funded documentary about Melania Trump, directed by disgraced filmmaker Brett Ratner. The film, distributed by Amazon/MGM, is opening in 1,500 theaters across the US, though this is about half the number that screened Amazon's recent Chris Pratt film Mercy.
Box office predictions vary widely, with estimates ranging from $1m to $5m for the opening weekend. A $1m debut would keep it off the list of worst wide openings ever (the record low for 1,500 theaters is around $330,000) but would still qualify as a bomb given the film's massive budget. A $5m opening would put it in line with right-wing documentaries like Am I Racist?, the highest-grossing documentary of 2024 with $12m total. However, no one paid $40m to acquire that film, plus an additional $35m to market it — the sum Amazon has reportedly poured into Melania.
Amazon's $75m investment is the most the company has ever spent on a single film's distribution. The deal was struck in a post-election bidding war, with Melania Trump reportedly pocketing nearly $30m of the initial $40m outlay. While legal, the payment has raised eyebrows given Amazon's extensive government contracts through its web services division.
The film was bought sight unseen, shot in the run-up to Trump's second-term inauguration. Brett Ratner, best known for the Rush Hour trilogy and an X-Men sequel, was hired to direct. Ratner has not directed a feature in 12 years following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct in 2017, which he has denied. According to Rolling Stone, the shoot was chaotic, employing three camera crews, and Ratner left a 'trail of detritus' including orange peels and gum wrappers, while bringing food into areas where crew had been denied meal breaks.
President Trump has promoted the film, claiming it is selling out theaters ahead of its opening weekend. Amazon has defended its investment as reflecting audience interest, not a desire to curry favour with the administration.
