Rotten Tomatoes has refuted claims of bot interference in the high audience score for the documentary 'Melania,' insisting that reviews come from verified ticket buyers. The film, about first lady Melania Trump, saw a sharp 67% drop in its second weekend box office, totaling around $13-14 million domestically against a hefty budget. Amazon MGM defends the theatrical release as a strategy to build buzz for its upcoming Prime Video debut.
The documentary 'Melania,' directed by Brett Ratner and focusing on first lady Melania Trump, has sparked controversy over its Rotten Tomatoes ratings. As of February 8, 2026, the film holds an 8% Tomatometer score from critics but a striking 99% audience score on the Popcornmeter. A Rotten Tomatoes spokesperson stated, “There has been NO bot manipulation on the audience reviews for the Melania documentary. Reviews displayed on the Popcornmeter are VERIFIED reviews, meaning it has been verified that users have bought a ticket to the film.”
Social media users have questioned the authenticity, pointing to patterns in the verified reviews. One X post noted, “The ‘verified’ Rotten Tomatoes audience reviews for the Melania doc all come from new accounts that have never posted before. Who is paying for these bots?” Another observed that many one-star reviews came from accounts with no prior history, purchased via Fandango. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel highlighted the disparity on his show, joking, “The audience score for Melania is 99% positive, which is 1% higher than The Godfather. And I’m sure Donald J. Corleone had nothing to do with that at all.” He referenced reports of bulk ticket purchases distributed to Republican activists and senior citizen homes, drawing parallels to the 2019 RNC purchase of Don Jr.'s book to boost sales.
At the box office, 'Melania' earned $2.37 million in its second weekend from 2,003 theaters, a 67% decline that placed it at No. 9. Its domestic total stands at $13.35 million after two weekends, per Comscore data, though some reports cite $14.5 million over 10 days. The film cost Amazon MGM $40 million to acquire, plus $35 million in marketing—unprecedented for a documentary. The studio views the theatrical run as part of a “long-tail lifecycle,” with head of domestic theatrical distribution Kevin Wilson saying, “‘Melania’s’ strong theatrical performance is a critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy, building awareness... ahead of the film’s eventual debut on Prime Video.” This approach aims to drive streaming viewership and interest in an accompanying docuseries.
The Super Bowl weekend contributed to a sluggish box office, with total revenues around $60 million amid football festivities and cold weather. 'Melania' now competes in a market buoyed by holdovers like 'Send Help' ($10 million, No. 1) and independents such as 'Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience' ($5.5 million debut). Industry observers speculate the high costs may reflect efforts to align with the current administration, though Amazon MGM emphasizes long-term value across theatrical and streaming platforms.
