"The release of "Melania" was unlike any seen before. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the rights, plus some $35 million to market it, making it the most expensive documentary ever. Directed by Brett Ratner, who had been exiled from Hollywood since 2017, the film about the first lady debuted in 1,778 theaters in the midst of Trump's turbulent second term. While the result would be a flop for most films with such high costs, "Melania" was a success by documentary standards. It's the best opening weekend for a documentary, outside of concert films, in 14 years. Going into the weekend, estimates ranged from $3 million to $5 million."
"On Thursday, Trump hosted a premiere of the film at the Kennedy Center, with attendees including Cabinet members and members of Congress. There, Ratner downplayed its box-office potential, noting: "You can't expect a documentary to play in theaters." The No. 1 movie of the weekend was Sam Raimi's "Send Help," a critically acclaimed survival thriller starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. The Walt Disney Co. release debuted with $20 million. The film, with a $40 million budget, was an in-between kind of release for Raimi, whose hits have typically ranged from low-budget cult ("Army of Darkness") to big-budget blockbuster (2002's "Spider-Man")."
The Melania Trump documentary debuted to $7 million in ticket sales, exceeding pre-release estimates of $3 million to $5 million. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the rights and spent roughly $35 million on marketing, creating the most expensive documentary ever. The film was directed by Brett Ratner and opened in 1,778 theaters during Trump's turbulent second term. The film chronicles Melania Trump over 20 days last January, leading up to Trump's second inauguration. A Kennedy Center premiere drew Cabinet members and members of Congress. The opening is the best for a documentary (excluding concert films) in 14 years.
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