The new documentary “Melania,” chronicling former First Lady Melania Trump’s experiences during the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, has achieved the strongest box office opening for a documentary film in nearly a decade.
Directed by Brett Ratner, the film premiered Thursday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., followed by simultaneous premieres in New York and Los Angeles. It opened nationwide Friday across roughly 1,700 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, with additional releases in more than two dozen international markets.
Industry analysts initially projected a modest opening weekend of between $1 million and $5 million based on pre-release tracking. However, the film significantly outperformed those estimates, earning $2.9 million on its opening day alone and climbing to an estimated $7 million to $8.1 million by the end of its first three days in theaters.
According to data reviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, Melania now holds the top debut for a documentary feature since 2016, surpassing the previous record set by a $5 million opening in the same category.
The film’s strong performance reflects robust turnout across multiple regions. AMC theaters in Vero Beach, Florida, and Independence, Missouri, reported sold-out screenings on opening night, while advance ticket sales spiked ahead of the weekend.
Melania’s marketing campaign was among the most ambitious for a documentary in recent years. Promotional trailers aired during NFL playoff broadcasts, alongside a global advertising push that reached more than 3,300 theaters worldwide. The project emerged from a competitive studio bidding war, with Amazon securing distribution rights for $26 million — outbidding Disney and other major streaming platforms.
The film is part of a $75 million production and distribution deal that also includes a planned docuseries, though details on that project’s release have not been disclosed.
Despite its box office success, critical reception has been largely unfavorable. As of Sunday, Melania held a 12 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 17 reviews, with reviewers divided over its tone and narrative framing. Audience reaction, however, has been overwhelmingly positive — a striking 99 percent approval rating from verified viewers on the same platform.
The contrast between critical and audience reception mirrors that of other recent political documentaries that have drawn strong turnout from loyal audiences despite negative press coverage. Some reviewers criticized the film’s “stylized framing” and “narrative control,” while others acknowledged its “surprisingly intimate portrayal” of the former first lady.
During the Kennedy Center premiere, the former first lady described the project as a deeply personal and stylized portrayal of her experience during one of the most scrutinized periods of her public life.
“It’s beautiful, it’s emotional, it’s fashionable, it’s cinematic, and I’m very proud of it,” Melania Trump told attendees on the red carpet. “Some have called this a documentary. It is not. It is a creative experience that offers perspectives, insights and moments.”
Industry observers say Melania’s early success demonstrates the enduring commercial potential of politically themed documentaries when backed by a strong brand and wide theatrical release. The film’s unexpected performance could also reshape how streaming platforms approach distribution strategies for politically charged content with mainstream appeal.
Analysts also note that the film benefited from a loyal core audience that turned out in large numbers, particularly in conservative-leaning markets. The combination of Ratner’s production polish and the Trump brand’s media magnetism has given Melania a rare crossover quality for a documentary release — one that blends celebrity storytelling with political commentary at a time of renewed public fascination with the Trump era.
With sustained audience demand and high advance bookings reported through the first week of February, exhibitors expect Melania to remain a strong box office draw heading into its second weekend.
