Amazon's $40M 'Melania' Documentary Acquisition Raises Questions Despite $7M Opening Weekend
Amazon MGM Studios' documentary "Melania", focusing on First Lady Melania Trump, generated $7.04 million during its opening weekend, securing third place at the box office. The film positioned itself behind Sam Raimi's thriller "Send Help" ($20 million) and "Iron Lung" ($17.8 million), a gaming adaptation by content creator Mark Fischbach (Markiplier).
Despite outperforming initial projections of $3-5 million, the documentary faces significant financial challenges. Amazon's total investment includes a $40 million acquisition cost and an estimated $35 million marketing budget, making theatrical profitability highly unlikely.
Industry analysts have raised concerns about the strategic rationale behind Amazon's acquisition. The company's bid exceeded Disney's offer by $26 million, prompting speculation about potential political motivations rather than pure commercial considerations. Ted Hope, former Amazon Studios executive (2015-2020), characterized the project as potentially "the most expensive documentary ever made that didn't involve music licensing," questioning whether the deal constitutes an attempt to curry favor with the Trump administration.
The production has been marked by controversy on multiple fronts:
• The film marks director Brett Ratner's first project since 2017, when multiple allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct emerged (which Ratner has denied)
• Approximately two-thirds of the New York-based crew requested to remain uncredited
• No advance critic screenings were provided
Critical reception has been overwhelmingly negative, with the documentary receiving a 7% score on Metacritic (indicating "overwhelming dislike") and 10% on Rotten Tomatoes. Film critic Manohla Dargis characterized it as "a very circumscribed and carefully stage-managed chronicle" covering the 20 days preceding President Trump's 2025 inauguration.
Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM's head of domestic theatrical distribution, framed the theatrical release as "an important first step" in a broader content strategy, projecting "significant life" for both the film and an upcoming documentary series on Amazon's Prime Video streaming platform.
Sources:
The New York Times - Amazon Acquisition Analysis
Los Angeles Times - Brett Ratner Allegations
Rolling Stone - Production Behind the Scenes
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