The documentary 'Melania,' offering an intimate look at the US first lady's life leading up to her husband's 2025 inauguration, has been pulled from theaters in South Africa amid tensions with the Trump administration. Directed by Brett Ratner and distributed by Amazon MGM Studios, the film faced scrutiny over its $40 million acquisition price and perceived ties to White House favor-seeking. Despite a wide global release planned for Friday, projections suggest modest box office performance.
The 104-minute documentary 'Melania' follows First Lady Melania Trump over 20 days before Donald Trump's January 20, 2025, inauguration, providing unprecedented access to her fashion choices, diplomatic engagements, and Secret Service operations. Produced by Marc Beckman with Melania serving as executive producer, the film debuted on Thursday at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, where Trump has asserted influence as chairman. A private screening occurred at the White House on January 24, attended by about 70 people including business executives; Melania described it as a 'historic moment' in a social media post.
Amazon MGM Studios acquired the rights for $40 million, outbidding Disney by $26 million, plus $35 million for advertising, including a trailer projection on The Sphere in Las Vegas. Reports indicate Melania receives 70 percent of the $40 million fee. The film's high costs have sparked controversy, with critics like former Amazon executive Ted Hope calling it 'the most expensive documentary ever made' and suggesting it equates to currying favor with the administration amid Trump's ties to donors and crypto ventures generating $1.4 billion in his first year back in office.
In South Africa, distributor Filmfinity pulled the film citing 'recent developments' and the 'current climate,' without elaboration, though it coincides with US-South Africa tensions over Trump's false claims of a 'white genocide' against the Afrikaans community. The decision was described as independent, not pressured. Globally, the film is set for release on approximately 1,600 screens, including 1,500 in the US, but advance sales have been soft; projections range from $1-2 million (Boxoffice) to $5 million (NRG) for the opening weekend in the US and Canada, far below the budget and unlikely to break even.
Comparisons highlight the anomaly: Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' (2004) had a $6 million budget and earned $24 million opening weekend, while Matt Walsh's 'Am I Racist?' (2024) grossed $4.5 million on a $3 million budget. Director Brett Ratner, returning after 2017 sexual assault allegations he denies, praised for his talent by Beckman and Melania. No major reviews have emerged, and social media has ridiculed the PR campaign with empty seating screenshots.
