The premiere of the film about Melania Trump took place in the presence of the president, members of his cabinet, and many well-known figures from conservative circles. At the event, Melania described the film as "beautiful, emotional, and cinematic." However, despite high expectations, only one ticket was sold for the premiere in London, which sparked a wave of discussions on social media.
The creation of the project cost Amazon MGM Studios a significant amount: about $40 million was spent on film rights, and approximately $35 million on marketing and distribution. After the theatrical release, the film will be available exclusively on the Amazon Prime Video platform.
Nevertheless, experts express doubts about the commercial success of the film. Box office forecasts for the opening weekend range from $1 to $5 million. Critics point out that the advertising budget is comparable to those allocated for major releases, which is unusual for documentary films.
On January 26, Donald Trump urged viewers on his TruthSocial blog: "MELANIA, the film, is a MUST-SEE. Buy your tickets today—they're selling out VERY quickly!"
Daniel Loria, Senior Vice President of Boxoffice Company, noted that this film is a "dark horse," as such projects rarely receive wide theatrical distribution.
The political context also adds interest to the film. Some experts question whether such an expensive deal is a manifestation of Amazon's loyalty to the current administration. However, Amazon representatives denied these assumptions, stating that the acquisition of rights was based solely on commercial considerations and expectations of viewer interest.
"We acquired the rights to the documentary film and series about Melania Trump solely because we believe it will be of interest to viewers," claims Amazon.
At the premiere last Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson noted that he sees no issues with Amazon's actions, adding: "Amazon is a business, and they are in business to make money. I think they will profit from this film, but in my opinion, it also has enormous cultural value."
