The highly anticipated documentary Melania, which chronicles the life of former First Lady Melania Trump, is facing a devastating box office performance that has led to screenings being cancelled in some theaters across the United States.
Projected Opening Weekend Figures Reveal Financial Disaster
According to industry reports, the documentary for which Amazon MGM reportedly paid $40 million for rights and invested an additional $35 million in marketing, is projected to earn only around $5 million during its opening weekend. This places the film in a similar financial bracket to other niche documentaries such as After Death and Am I Racist?, which experienced comparable opening weekend takes.
Analysis of Ticket Sales Shows Muted Response
Detailed analysis of opening-day ticket sales indicates a generally muted response across the United States, with some screenings having alarmingly few tickets sold. The data reveals that sales are marginally stronger in more conservative regions, though overall figures remain disappointingly low for a production of this scale and budget.
Screenings Cancelled as Box Office Troubles Mount
In a significant development, screenings at the Plymouth Grand 15 theater in Minnesota appear to have been cancelled entirely. This move reflects the broader challenges facing the documentary's theatrical release, with theaters responding to poor advance ticket sales by pulling showings from their schedules.
Donald Trump Comments on Box Office Performance
Former President Donald Trump has commented on the weak ticket sales, attributing them to the ongoing challenges facing the post-Covid theatre business. He suggested the film would likely perform better via streaming platforms, noting that it will later become available on Prime Video for wider distribution.
International Sales Also Show Significant Weakness
The documentary's troubles extend beyond American shores, with international sales proving equally disappointing. Initial screenings in the United Kingdom have reportedly sold only one or two tickets each, while the film's theatrical run in South Africa has been pulled entirely due to what distributors have described as 'political reasons'.
Broader Implications for Political Documentaries
The poor performance of Melania raises questions about the commercial viability of high-budget political documentaries in the current theatrical landscape. With streaming platforms increasingly dominating documentary distribution, traditional box office releases for politically-charged content may face growing challenges in attracting substantial audiences.
The combination of weak domestic ticket sales, cancelled screenings, and disappointing international performance suggests that Amazon MGM's substantial investment in the Melania Trump documentary may not yield the expected returns, despite the significant marketing push behind the project.
