Melania Documentary Premieres in Washington as Debate Swirls Over $75 Million Backing

Washington, D.C. — Melania, a high-profile documentary chronicling First Lady Melania Trump’s life in the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, premiered Thursday night at the Kennedy Center in a black-carpet event attended by senior figures from the Trump administration. The film — backed by Amazon MGM Studios with a combined acquisition and promotional budget reported at $75 million — has ignited both political scrutiny and box office skepticism as it rolls out to theaters this weekend.

Directed by Brett Ratner, the documentary aims to offer an inside look at the First Lady’s role and influence. Ratner, once a Hollywood heavyweight known for hits like Rush Hour, marks his return to filmmaking with Melania after a long absence from major projects following allegations of misconduct in 2017, which he denies.

High-Profile Premiere and Political Backing

The premiere drew a notable political crowd, including cabinet members such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former presidential candidate and current Health and Human Services Secretary, along with other Trump allies. Held at the Kennedy Center in downtown Washington, the event served as both a cultural launch and a political statement less than a year into the Trump administration’s second term.

While Trump officials defended the film’s focus on Melania’s personal journey and public service, critics have raised questions about the substantial financial backing from Amazon and the role of a major corporation in producing a documentary about a sitting First Lady.

Budget Controversy and Industry Reaction

Industry analysts note that Amazon paid $40 million to license the documentary and committed an additional $35 million for global marketing and theatrical distribution — a total far surpassing typical documentary costs. At least some veterans in the film community have criticized the scale of the investment, suggesting it resembles a promotional or public relations project more than a traditional documentary.

Comedian commentators have seized on the budget controversy. On late-night television, Jimmy Kimmel quipped that the film’s $75 million haul felt less like cinema and more like a publicity stunt or purchase of influence, mocking the guest list and marketing spectacle around the premiere.

Similarly, Stephen Colbert joked on The Late Show that Melania looked poised for a lackluster box office start, citing reports of slow ticket sales and mocking the premise of the film’s content.

Mixed Box Office Signals and Early Public Reception

Despite heavy promotion, early indicators suggest Melania could face challenges at the box office. Industry projections estimate a modest opening weekend, with some outlets forecasting earnings in the low millions — well below the scale implied by the documentary’s budget. In the U.K., some initial screenings reportedly attracted low attendance, raising fresh questions about the film’s mainstream appeal.

Complicating matters internationally, the film’s release in South Africa was abruptly canceled just before its scheduled launch, amid diplomatic tensions between the South African government and the Trump administration. Local distributors cited “recent developments” as the reason for pulling the documentary, though specific details remain unclear.

Director, First Lady Defend Project

At the premiere, director Brett Ratner addressed the controversy, defending the project’s scope and expenditure. He described the film as an effort to craft a cinematic portrayal with top-tier creative resources, underscoring that the investment went toward high-quality production values, including music and cinematography. Ratner stressed that the film was intended to be both informative and entertaining, not merely a simplistic narrative.

Melania Trump herself, an executive producer on the project, has framed the documentary as an opportunity to share her own story and day-to-day experience in the lead-up to the inauguration — a period she described as “intense” and personally meaningful.

A Documentary With Broad Debate

As Melania continues its theatrical rollout across roughly 1,500 screens nationwide with a planned subsequent streaming release on Amazon Prime Video, it has become a cultural flashpoint — blending entertainment, political narrative, and corporate influence in ways rarely seen for a documentary about a sitting First Lady.

Whether the film will find an audience beyond political curiosity remains to be seen, but its unveiling has already sparked conversation on the evolving role of big-budget documentary filmmaking and the expectations around political storytelling in contemporary media.