The documentary Melania, directed by Brett Ratner, earned an estimated $7 million in domestic theaters during its opening weekend, far exceeding projections of $2 million to $5 million.
The film follows First Lady Melania Trump as she prepared for President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Despite receiving poor reviews, with an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences gave it an “A” grade on CinemaScore.
This $7 million debut sets a new record for a documentary opening in the past decade, surpassing the $5 million record set by After Death in 2023.
Most of the audience has been older conservative women, particularly in the South. Data from the Hollywood Reporter shows that women over 55 made up 72% of ticket buyers on opening day and 78% of total ticket sales so far.
Even with the strong opening, the movie still faces a long road to profitability. Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for the film’s rights and spent $35 million on marketing.
Melania finished third at the weekend box office. Sam Raimi’s thriller Send Help led with $20 million, while the horror adaptation Iron Lung came in second. Other films, such as Jason Statham’s Shelter, underperformed, earning just $5.5 million.
This marks Brett Ratner’s first feature film since 2014, following a hiatus caused by sexual assault allegations. Ratner is also reportedly developing Rush Hour 4, reviving the franchise after nearly two decades.
The Melania documentary demonstrates that documentaries can still find strong niche audiences, even if critics are harsh, and highlights Ratner’s return to Hollywood filmmaking after a long absence.
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