All articles tagged with #melania
Amazon-MGM’s Melania, a Brett Ratner–directed documentary about the former first lady, opened to about $7 million and grossed roughly $16.6 million worldwide, far short of its $75 million budget; after a steep U.S. drop and weak international performance, Amazon plans to recoup costs when it streams on Prime Video starting March 9, via advertising and Prime signups.
A high-budget Amazon-MGM documentary about Melania Trump opened around $7 million in theaters but faltered, with a reported budget of about $75 million and worldwide gross of $16.6 million (international $291k; UK roughly £33k). After a steep drop and eventual disappearance from theaters, the studio plans to recoup costs by streaming on Prime Video starting March 9, via ads and Prime subs, following its Kennedy Center premiere.
After a costly theatrical run that failed to recoup its roughly $75 million budget, the Melania Trump documentary will stream on Amazon Prime starting March 9, with Amazon MGM aiming to recoup costs through ads and Prime signups despite a disastrous box-office performance and widespread negative reviews.
Melania's documentary sunk further in its third weekend, dropping 62.3% and heading toward roughly $15.4 million total after Amazon's $75 million investment (purchase plus marketing). Opened with about $7.1 million; Amazon says streaming on Prime Video will help recoup costs, though no streaming date has been announced. The film, directed by Brett Ratner and tied to controversy, has also faced music-rights disputes that its camp says were resolved with proper rights and payments.
Marc Beckman, a longtime adviser and producer of Melania Trump’s documentary, rejected claims that the film used Phantom Thread’s score without authorization, saying Universal did consult the composer and that legally binding contracts authorize the music. He called the accusations a “blatant lie” and said the film followed proper protocol and compensated artists, while the piece also notes the film’s ongoing controversy and soft box-office performance.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonny Greenwood condemned Universal for using the Phantom Thread score in the Melania documentary without Greenwood’s consultation, saying it breaches his composer agreement and requesting its removal; the doc has drawn attention despite a modest global box office and limited viewership.
A Lake Oswego theater canceled screenings of the Melania documentary after Amazon objected to a marquee joke based on a Sun Tzu quote. The theater had promoted the film with the line “TO DEFEAT YOUR ENEMY, YOU MUST KNOW THEM. MELANIA STARTS FRIDAY,” which Amazon reportedly did not find funny. The marquee was later updated with a different joke about the screenings being canceled. The documentary, which cost about $40 million for rights and roughly $35 million for marketing and debuted with about $7 million in ticket sales, will still stream on Prime Video after its theatrical run, and the theater plans to resume with other films next week.
Rotten Tomatoes’ parent Versant says there’s no bot manipulation behind the Melania documentary’s 99% audience score, insisting reviews are verified and tickets bought; the persistent gap with a 7% critics score has drawn Variety coverage and spurred jokes and discussion as the film heads into its second weekend.
Versant says Melania's 99% audience score isn’t bot-driven, noting that Popcornmeter reviews are VERIFIED because buyers bought tickets; the Amazon MGM-backed documentary opened around $7M domestically and drew an older, female, white audience, while the critics score sits at 7% amid ongoing debate over the score disparity.
The $75 million Melania documentary opened to about $7 million in 1,700 theaters but was savaged by critics (5% on the Tomatometer) while audiences gave it a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes' Popcornmeter, marking the biggest critic–audience disparity in RT history; IMDb has flagged unusual voting activity, and Amazon MGM Studios defended the film's reception and long-tail release after paying roughly $40 million for rights amid production chaos.
Amazon reportedly asked an Oregon theater to stop screening the documentary Melania after the venue advertised it with witty marquee lines. The Lake Theater & Café in Lake Oswego changed its marquee to say Melania showings were cancelled and urged audiences to support at Whole Foods, and the theater’s manager said Amazon called to pull the film. The venue sold about $196 in tickets in its single weekend, despite the documentary’s strong national performance. Local backlash followed, and the theater’s owner attributed the decision to a corporate executive rather than audience reaction, with Amazon declining comment.
Amazon reportedly asked the Lake Theater and Cafe in Lake Oswego, Oregon to stop screening the Melania documentary after the theater’s marquee jokes drew attention. The theater then altered the marquee to say Amazon called, their marquee made them mad, and all Melania showings were cancelled, urging viewers to support at Whole Foods instead. The owner said the decision came from corporate executives rather than public backlash, noting the film had recently had strong nationwide numbers. Amazon had no immediate comment.
Amazon pulled its Melania documentary from a Lake Oswego, Oregon theater after the venue’s marquee jokes about the film prompted a backlash; the theater confirmed the film was taken down following a call from Amazon, and patrons questioned the display. The film, which chronicles the 20 days before Trump’s second inauguration, was acquired by Amazon for about $40 million.
An Oregon theater canceled all showings of Amazon MGM’s Melania after the company reportedly asked them to pull the film following humorous marquee lines; the theater said the decision came from a corporate executive, despite modest local demand for the documentary.
The Lake Theater & Cafe in Lake Oswego, Oregon posted a cheeky marquee about the Amazon MGM Studios documentary Melania, prompting Amazon to pull the film; Melania opened in about 1,778 theaters (now 1,777) and earned roughly $7 million in its opening weekend, finishing third behind two horror titles, while the theater’s manager framed the stunt as provocative commentary.