The First Lady’s documentary, Melania, delivered a surprisingly strong performance, generating $7.04 million in its opening weekend.
This figure establishes a new ten-year record for non-fiction film debuts, comfortably overtaking the previous benchmark set by 2023’s After Death ($5 million).
The turnout significantly defied pre-release estimates, which had projected earnings between $3 million and $5 million.
Following a premiere at the Kennedy Center on January 29 and a global release the next day, the film provides a look into Melania Trump’s life ahead of the 2025 inauguration. The project represents a significant investment, utilizing a $35 million marketing budget and a reported $40 million distribution deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
The production also marks the directorial return of Brett Ratner, ending his professional hiatus which began amidst misconduct allegations during the #MeToo era; Ratner faced no criminal charges regarding those claims.
