Khaberni - American President Donald Trump promoted the documentary "Melania" as a "must-see movie", and the film had a better-than-expected opening with ticket sales reaching $7 million.
The release of "Melania" was unlike any previous one, as "Amazon MGM Studios" paid $40 million to acquire the rights to the film, in addition to about $35 million for marketing, making it the most expensive documentary ever. Directed by Brett Ratner, who was ousted from Hollywood since 2017, the film revolves around the First Lady and premiered in 1778 theaters during the tumultuous period of President Trump's second term.
While this performance would be considered a failure for most high-cost films, "Melania" was considered a success according to documentary standards, recording the best opening weekend for a documentary, except for concert films, in fourteen years. Before the weekend, estimates ranged between three million and five million dollars.
There was not much for "Melania" to be compared to, as presidential families usually avoid releasing memoirs or documentaries during their tenure to avoid the impression of exploiting the White House. The film narrates the life of Melania Trump over twenty days in last January, leading up to Trump's second inauguration.
The number one movie at the box office for the weekend was "Send Help", and the low-budget sci-fi horror "Iron Lung" came in second with sales of $17.9 million, exceeding expectations. Meanwhile, the action thriller "Shelter" opened with sales of $5.5 million.
However, most of the focus was on the performance of "Melania". The previous week, the White House hosted a premiere. The film was released in a week dominated by coverage of federal immigration tactics in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot Alex Pretty in Minneapolis.
