"Melania" documentary opens with better ticket sales than expected, despite criticism
CBSN
Promoted by President Trump as "a must watch," the Melania Trump documentary "Melania" debuted with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Jennifer Jacobs contributed to this report. In:
Promoted by President Trump as "a must watch," the Melania Trump documentary "Melania" debuted with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The release of "Melania" was unlike any seen before. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the rights, plus some $35 million to market it, making it the most expensive documentary ever. Directed by Brett Ratner, who had been exiled from Hollywood since 2017, the film about the first lady debuted in 1,778 theaters in the midst of Mr. Trump's turbulent second term.
While the result would be a flop for most films with such high costs, "Melania" was a success by documentary standards. It's the best opening weekend for a documentary, outside of concert films, in 14 years. Going into the weekend, estimates ranged from $3 million to $5 million.
But there was little to compare "Melania" to, given that presidential families typically eschew in-office memoir or documentary releases to avoid the appearance of capitalizing on the White House. The film chronicles Melania Trump over 20 days last January, leading up to Trump's second inauguration.
On Thursday, Mr. Trump hosted a premiere of the film at the Kennedy Center, with attendees including cabinet members and members of Congress. There, Ratner downplayed its box-office potential, noting: "You can't expect a documentary to play in theaters."
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