US 1st lady’s ‘Melania’ documentary posts strong opening weekend at box office

ANKARA

Amazon MGM Studios’ documentary “Melania” exceeded expectations at the US box office, grossing an estimated $7 million during its opening weekend.

The film follows first lady Melania Trump in the lead-up to the 2025 White House re-entry.

Amazon MGM Studios provided the $7 million studio estimate to media outlets, including Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.

According to Deadline, the film’s strongest box office performance came from conservative-leaning states such as Florida and Texas, where it saw robust turnout in rural theaters and Republican-leaning counties. Women over the age of 55 accounted for roughly 72% of the opening-day audience.

The documentary ranked third overall at the box office, behind the horror-thriller “Send Help” at $20 million and “Iron Lung” at approximately $17.8–$18 million.

Amazon MGM Studios said it was encouraged by the strong start and positive audience response, noting that early box office results for “Melania” exceeded expectations.

The project was acquired for $40 million, with an additional $35 million spent on promotion, bringing the total costs to $75 million. It has drawn criticism over its price tag amid Amazon job cuts and perceptions that the company is seeking favor during Donald Trump’s second presidency.

On the day the film opened in theaters, media reports surfaced featuring photos of documentary director Brett Ratner alongside Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of files by the US Department of Justice.

The images, drawn from previously known Epstein-related material, show Ratner pictured with Epstein and others. No new wrongdoing has been alleged in connection with the photos, and association alone does not imply criminal involvement.