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‘Melania’ Opens to Polarized Audiences and Harsh Reviews After Amazon’s $75 Million Bet

Amazon MGM's outsized spend turns the first lady's self-portrait into a political-commercial test.

Overview

  • The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, premiered in Washington and began its theatrical run on Jan. 30 across about 3,300 screens worldwide.
  • Early turnout was sharply uneven, with near-empty showings reported in the U.K. and Australia and stronger crowds in pro-Trump U.S. markets.
  • Critics delivered largely negative notices, and reports described vandalized posters and some crew members seeking to minimize credit.
  • Amazon MGM paid roughly $40 million for rights and spent about $35 million on marketing, with a significant share of the fee going to Melania Trump.
  • The studio holds distribution rights, and multiple outlets report the film will stream on Prime Video after its theatrical window.