The ‘Melania’ documentary fared higher than anticipated in film theaters : NPR

First girl Melania Trump’s documentary outperformed field workplace expectations throughout its opening weekend, bringing in about $7 million domestically.

Viewers members have been largely white (75%), girls (70%), and 55 or over (72%). Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta and West Palm Seaside have been among the many high markets over the weekend, in line with information from Amazon MGM Studios.

Amazon acquired the rights to the film in early 2025 for $40 million. The corporate ran a flashy rollout for the movie, spending $35 million on advertising, resulting in questions on whether or not such a hefty price ticket included incomes President Trump’s favor — or attempting to. Melania is likely one of the most costly documentary movies ever made, with the primary girl herself taking up the position of an govt producer.

Critics have panned the film, which premiered on the Kennedy Heart final week with protesters dressed as Marie Antoinette outdoors. TikTokers inspired viewers to as an alternative watch Turning intoMichelle Obama’s 2020 Netflix documentary, which broke the service’s high 10 hottest films within the U.S. over the weekend.

Documentaries hardly ever obtain broad theatrical releases, however Melania opened on greater than 1,500 screens all through the U.S. this weekend. Forward of the movie’s world launch on Friday, many on social media shared photographs of their native theaters by which almost each seat for Melania showings remained accessible for buy. Analysts have been predicting ticket gross sales within the $5 million vary — making the $7 million field workplace excellent news for Amazon.

For a way of scale: The highest-grossing movie this weekend was the survival horror thriller Ship Assist, which introduced in $20 million. Following shut behind was Iron Lungadditionally a horror movie, at almost $18 million.

However, writes David A. Gross in his trade publication Franchise Re“This is a superb opening for a political documentary, at greater than double the common for the style … These are small films, and it is a massive begin for a documentary.”

Gross instructed NPR through electronic mail that the movie’s viewers “matches with the Trump fan base. The weekend viewers gave the movie a glowing A CinemaScore,” which polls moviegoers. “They see Melania as an achieved position mannequin — somebody they give the impression of being as much as.”

“Nearly as good as this opening is for a documentary,” says Gross in his publication, “for every other movie, with $75 million in prices and restricted international potential, it might be an issue.”

Amazon is undeterred. Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of home theatrical distribution, mentioned in a press release that the field workplace numbers exceeded expectations — and {that a} docuseries could be on the best way.

“This momentum is a crucial first step in what we see as a long-tail lifecycle for each the movie and the forthcoming docu-series, extending nicely past the theatrical window and into what we consider might be a major run for each on our service.”

A notoriously personal particular person, the primary girl has gained a popularity as a mysterious determine who carefully controls her public picture. Melania follows the primary girl in the course of the 20 days main as much as President Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, together with preparation for a candle-lit inaugural dinner at which the digicam breezes by Jeff Bezos a number of instances. Cameras additionally observe the design course of for her inauguration outfits, and her grieving course of after her mom Amalija Knavs’ dying.

On the New York Inventory Trade final week, the primary girl hailed the documentary as “a window into an vital interval for America.”

Editor’s be aware: Amazon is amongst NPR’s current monetary supporters and pays to distribute some NPR content material.