'Melania': What to expect from the upcoming documentary
What's the story
The much-anticipated documentary on Melania Trump, the wife of current US President Donald Trump, is reportedly struggling to draw audiences in theaters. Despite being helmed by Brett Ratner and produced by Trump, Fernando Sulichin, and Marc Beckman, with MGM Studios having purchased the rights to the film, the film's opening weekend ticket sales are projected to be between $1 million and $2 million, according to Boxoffice.com. The film will hit theaters on Friday, January 30.
Film challenges
'Melania' struggles to fill theaters despite high-profile purchase
The film's purchase by Amazon's MGM Studios for $40 million made headlines last year. It faces the same challenge as many documentaries in the streaming era, as viewers increasingly avoid nonfiction films in theaters. Melania's release comes amid a slump in President Trump's approval ratings and public outrage over the killing of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Performance expectations
'Melania' may perform well by documentary standards
Despite the challenges, early ticket sales forecasts suggest that Melania may perform well by the muted standards of documentaries. This is similar to Roadrunner, a documentary about late chef Anthony Bourdain that grossed $1.98 million in its opening weekend in 2021, a strong showing for a nonfiction film at the time. The film will be released on around 1,500 screens across 27 territories.
Film content
'Melania' offers an intimate look at Trump's life
Melania focuses on the 20 days before President Trump's second inauguration, offering an intimate look at their activities and perspective during this period. In a trailer scene, Melania Trump answers the phone and addresses her husband as "Mr. President," saying she missed his recent appearance but will "see it on the news."