First Lady Melania Trump’s documentary “Melania” has stumbled at the box office, dropping to 15th place in its third weekend with a steep 62.3-percent decline in attendance.
The 104-minute film brought in about $900,000 across over 1,200 theaters during Valentine’s Day weekend, raising its total gross to roughly $16.2 million—far below the $40 million Amazon paid for distribution rights and the additional $35 million spent on marketing.
Directed by Brett Ratner, the documentary covers the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. It debuted in late January at number three but, after earning around $7 million its first weekend, saw a 67-percent fall in week two before this weekend’s sharper decline.
Despite the poor box office turnout, Amazon MGM distribution head Kevin Wilson defended the rollout. “Together, theatrical and streaming represent two distinct value-creating moments that amplify the film’s overall impact,” Wilson said.
Critics have overwhelmingly panned the documentary since its Kennedy Center debut. It currently sits at an 11 percent Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers competing to deliver the most scathing remarks.
The Guardian originally awarded “Melania” one star but later corrected the review to zero stars due to a “formatting issue.” Reviewer Xan Brooks likened it to “designer taxidermy, horribly overpriced and ice-cold to the touch.” Lauren Collins of The New Yorker compared it to “an OnlyFans account crossed with that meme of Kim Jong Un visiting factories.”
Deadline critic Pete Hammond said he watched “Melania” so audiences wouldn’t have to, calling it gruelingly dull. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman wrote that it was “so orchestrated and airbrushed and stage-managed that it barely rises to the level of a shameless infomercial.”
CNN has reported that the documentary is projected to arrive on Prime Video in late spring 2026, though Amazon has not provided a firm release date. The company hopes to recover its costs through ad revenue and new Prime subscribers.
The 55-year-old first lady has vigorously promoted the documentary, even during official White House engagements. She mentioned it during a February meeting with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva, raising questions about the appropriateness of promoting a commercial project from which she stands to gain roughly $28 million.
On Presidents’ Day, Melania Trump shared promotional content on her personal social media pages, urging followers not to “miss your chance to see MELANIA in theaters before its run ends.”
The pushback was immediate, with commenters labeling the film “awful” and comparing the viewing experience to painful dental work, among other criticisms.
Further controversy erupted when the Military Religious Freedom Foundation claimed that certain commanding officers pressured service members to buy tickets and attend screenings. MRFF founder Mikey Weinstein stated, “They were pressured to see the movie. Your military superior, that’s not your shift manager at Taco Bell or Starbucks. They have complete and total control over you.”
The Department of Defense rejected these accusations, saying no policy exists that requires troops to watch the film.
Melania Trump has also teased additional material for fans. At the Kennedy Center premiere, she hinted at an upcoming docuseries featuring footage not included in the theatrical version.
The documentary’s struggles have intensified scrutiny of Jeff Bezos, especially as The Washington Post—one of his major holdings—recently announced significant newsroom layoffs. Critics have questioned the decision to spend $75 million on what some see as a vanity project while cutting jobs at a historic newspaper.
Director Brett Ratner has faced numerous controversies himself, including accusations of sexual misconduct and connections to Jeffrey Epstein. “Melania” is his first film since he was largely pushed out of Hollywood following allegations in 2017.
The film now competes with stronger new releases, such as “Wuthering Heights,” starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, which earned an estimated $34.8 million during the same three-day window. Smaller projects, like the video game adaptation “Iron Lung,” have also surpassed “Melania” at the box office.
As its theatrical run wraps up, Amazon MGM remains optimistic that the film will perform better on streaming, where the platform controls distribution and can use its huge subscriber base to bolster the documentary’s perceived success.