If you look strictly at the spreadsheet, Amazon MGM Studios just set a pile of cash on fire. The studio’s controversial documentary, Melania, which chronicles the former First Lady’s return to the White House, has effectively collapsed at the box office.
In its second weekend, the film grossed approximately $2.4 million, marking a precipitous 67% drop from its opening. With a total domestic gross sitting at roughly $13.35 million after two weeks, the project is a certified financial disaster by traditional Hollywood standards.
However, viewing this release through the lens of traditional movie metrics misses the point entirely. This wasn’t just a film release; it was a high-stakes geopolitical maneuver disguised as a theatrical run. With a total investment hovering around $75 million—including a record-breaking $40 million for rights and another $35 million in marketing—Amazon wasn’t necessarily buying ticket sales. They were buying attention in Washington.
How severe is the financial damage for Amazon MGM Studios?
To call the box office returns disappointing would be an understatement. For a documentary to justify a $75 million spend, it needs to capture the cultural zeitgeist in a way Melania simply hasn’t outside of specific political circles. While the film secured an ‘A’ CinemaScore from the audiences who did show up, the broader market has rejected it.
The numbers paint a bleak picture of the film’s commercial viability. While Melania plummeted, competing titles held strong. Sam Raimi’s thriller Send Help retained the number one spot with $10 million in its second weekend. Perhaps even more embarrassing for a major studio like Amazon, the self-financed horror film Iron Lung, directed by YouTuber Mark ‘Markiplier’ Fischbach, is outperforming the massive corporate production. Markiplier’s film earned roughly $6.2 million, continuing to challenge the legacy studio model.
Industry analysts point out that the $40 million acquisition fee paid by Amazon is the highest ever for a documentary. When you factor in the marketing spend, the film is, according to reports from 960 The Ref, “heading toward flop territory.” But in the halls of Amazon’s HQ, this loss might be categorized differently.
Why did Amazon partner with Brett Ratner for this project?
The financial confusion is compounded by the choice of creative partners. The documentary marks the return of director Brett Ratner, his first project since facing sexual misconduct allegations in 2017 during the height of the #MeToo movement. For a company as risk-averse regarding public image as Amazon, partnering with Ratner is a baffling choice—unless the directive came from the subject herself.
Melania Trump served as an Executive Producer on the film, which covers the 20 days leading up to the 2025 inauguration. The critical reception has been abysmal, earning an 8% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety dismissed the film as a “shameless infomercial,” while New York Magazine labeled it a “soulless MAGA lullaby.” The Guardian went further, calling it a “gilded trash remake of The Zone of Interest.”
Despite the critical drubbing, the film highlights the sharp divide between media critics and the specific audience Amazon was targeting. The disconnect suggests that while the film failed as a piece of cinema, it succeeded as a piece of content tailored for a specific political demographic.
Is this a movie or a corporate lobbying expense?
The prevailing theory among tech and media insiders is that Melania is a classic “loss leader,” but not for Prime subscriptions. The release is widely viewed as a strategic move to curry favor with the Trump administration following the 2024 election.
By overpaying for the rights and committing to a wide theatrical release, Amazon MGM Studios has effectively transferred millions of dollars into a project controlled by the First Lady. Industry analysts argue the $40 million price tag makes zero financial sense without this political context. It is an exercise in corporate “soft power,” where the return on investment isn’t measured in box office receipts, but in regulatory goodwill or open channels of communication with the White House.
In this light, the 67% drop in ticket sales is irrelevant to Jeff Bezos. The transaction was completed the moment the check for the rights cleared. The theatrical run is merely the public-facing component of a much quieter boardroom strategy.
The Bottom Line
Amazon’s Melania is a box office bomb, but a lobbying success. By spending $75 million on a project that critics call propaganda, Amazon has signaled its willingness to play ball with the new administration using its media arm as currency. The financial loss is a rounding error for Amazon, likely written off as the cost of doing business in a politically volatile environment. While cinephiles and shareholders might cringe at the waste, Amazon’s lobbyists likely view this as a cheap price to pay for access.
