‘Melania’ film debuts at a low ebb for documentaries in theatres
‘Melania’ is another example of how the first family has added to its nearly US$7 billion fortune
[NEW YORK] US President Donald Trump can command the world’s attention with a single post on social media. Yet a new documentary film about First Lady Melania Trump is struggling to fill theatres.
Boxoffice.com, a market researcher, projects US$1 million to US$2 million in opening weekend ticket sales for Melania. Ticketing websites show plenty of seats available for the Jan 30 debut and the days ahead. NRG, another forecaster, sees about US$5 million, according to the news site Puck.
The purchase of the film by Amazon.com’s MGM Studios generated headlines early last year over the US$40 million price the e-commerce giant paid for the rights. It faces the same obstacles as all documentaries in the streaming era, when many viewers opt to skip theatrical releases for non-fiction films altogether. The debut of Melania coincides with a second-term low for President Trump in approval ratings and with the killings of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis, leading to a national outcry.
The forecast for early ticket sales suggests the film may perform well by the muted standards of documentaries, roughly in line with those of Roadrunner, which told the story of the late chef Anthony Bourdain and grossed US$1.98 million in its opening weekend in 2021. That was considered a strong showing for a nonfiction film at the time.
Political films sometimes connect with fans. The top-grossing documentary of all time is Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore’s controversial look at the Bush administration after the Sep 11 terrorist attacks. No 10 on the list is 2016: Obama’s America, a critical film by conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza.
“Documentaries are in a different category, and therefore box-office expectations are different than they are for a traditional film,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore, an industry researcher.
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Melania focuses on the 20 days before President Trump’s second inauguration. It is billed as an intimate look at the relationship between the 55-year-old first lady and her spouse. In one scene from the film’s trailer, Melania Trump picks up the phone and addresses her husband as “Mr President” and indicates she missed a recent appearance of his, but will “see it on the news”.
MGM Studios outbid other potential buyers to release the film, with some critics asking whether Amazon executives or founder Jeff Bezos wanted to curry favour with the new administration. Erik Nelson, a documentary producer behind films such as Grizzly Man, told the newsletter Status that he could make 30 pictures for what Amazon paid.
The company is spending an additional US$35 million on marketing. Melania is being released on about 1,500 screens in 27 territories, according to a source familiar with the company’s plans. The online commerce giant has been promoting the film in TV spots and on billboards from Madrid to Los Angeles. It will compete with two thrillers, Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams, and Shelter, featuring Jason Statham, along with a sci-fi feature, Iron Lung, with YouTube influencer Mark Fischbach.
“Melania, the movie is a must watch,” President Trump posted on social media on Monday. “Get your tickets today – selling out, fast!”
Others have not been so enthusiastic. “Somehow, I know less about this woman’s life than I did before I watched this trailer,” a Vogue correspondent wrote.
Amazon has not said publicly when the film will appear on its Prime Video streaming service, but its run in theatres could last for three weeks or more, according to the source. The company believes it could do very well even if subscribers who don’t support the president tune in to see what the film is about, the source added.
The first lady is scheduled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with the White House citing her accomplishments over the past year, including online child safety protections and support for young people coming out of foster care.
Corporations have paid hefty prices for exclusive portrayals of the first family before. Penguin Random House agreed to pay more than US$65 million for the rights to two memoirs written by Barack Obama and his wife Michelle following a bidding war with rivals after he left office, according to the Financial Times.
Melania is another example of how the first family has added to its nearly US$7 billion fortune. The Trumps have embarked on an array of projects, including a pair of meme coins introduced on inauguration weekend last year, that have added more than US$1 billion to their wealth in his second term.
The first couple plans a premiere of Melania on Jan 29 at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Washington venue that a Trump-appointed board recently rechristened with the president’s name. An after-party will follow at the members-only club Executive Branch, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The club has its own financial ties to the Trumps. The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr, launched it with his business partner Omeed Malik, charging founding members about US$500,000 to secure access.
A spokesperson for the club declined to comment.
Melania was directed by Brett Ratner, the creative force behind action films such as Rush Hour and Red Dragon. The picture is Ratner’s first since several women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2017. He has denied the allegations. BLOOMBERG
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