The authorised documentary 'Melania', directed by Brett Ratner, has seen a dramatic 88% drop in UK box office earnings in its second week, despite an expanded release. The film, which follows the first lady in the 20 days before Donald Trump's January 2025 inauguration, opened at No 29 in the UK chart, taking £32,974 for a £212 per screen average.
In the US, the film dipped 67% in its second weekend, falling from No 3 to No 10 in the box office charts. After a strong opening of $7.2m, Amazon expanded the rollout from around 1,500 to over 2,000 screens, but Sunday projections stood at just $2.3m. Amazon MGM distribution chief Kevin Wilson expressed optimism about the film's long-term performance on Prime Video.
Internationally, the film has performed less well across its some 3,000 overseas screens, with top territories including the UK, Australia, and Melania Trump's native Slovenia. A South African release was abruptly cancelled at the last minute.
Critics have almost universally panned the film, with The Guardian's Xan Brooks calling it 'a gilded trash remake of The Zone of Interest' and 'two hours of pure, endless hell'. However, audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes show a record-breaking gap, with a critics' score of just 8% but a 99% audience score on the Popcornmeter.
Rotten Tomatoes' parent company Versant denied manipulation of audience reviews, stating they are verified through Fandango ticket purchases. However, many positive reviews come from first-time posters, while critiques from accounts with deeper engagement on the site include comments such as 'Hot garbage. Don't waste your time or money.'
