The First Lady’s long-hyped cinematic moment is already collapsing into a punchline. Melania, the glossy, heavily financed documentary centered on Melania Trump in the days leading up to Donald Trump’s second inauguration, is posting abysmal ticket sales and drawing widespread public mockery, even before its official U.S. release.
Backed by what Hollywood sources call a staggering* $75 million investment, including roughly $40 million for the rights and another reported $35 million on marketing, the film was supposed to be a splashy reintroduction of Melania Trump as more than a footnote in her husband’s political chaos. Instead, insiders and analysts now project low-single-digit millions for its opening weekend box office, a number that would be disastrously low for a film with such a budget.
Across theaters in major markets, from “Trump country” Florida to New York and California, showtimes are logging barely any ticket purchases. Early reports from exhibitors show multiple screenings with near-empty auditoriums, a jarring contrast with the hype machine behind the premiere.
That stark imbalance has sparked national mockery on social platforms. One industry tracking model suggests U.S. weekend totals could fall between $1 million and $2 million, figures more typical of niche documentaries than a high-profile release linked to the White House.
Critics and commentators — even some within the entertainment world — have seized on the gap between lavish spending and weak audience interest. One trade observer summed up the situation bluntly: for a documentary this expensive, “almost nobody wants to play it,” with some theaters reportedly scaling back their bookings altogether.
Online reaction has been brutal, with users openly mocking the movie’s empty theaters. One commenter, Hal for NY, posted a screenshot of his local cinema and wrote, “This is the theater near me for opening night this Friday at 9:40 pm. Every seat is still available.” Another user, John Bourscheid, piled on sarcastically: “Yeah man, packed house for sure.”
Others were even less subtle. “Selling Out Fast…Only 2 tickets sold on opening day,” wrote Neetu Khandelwal. Jamie Bonkiewicz was blunter, posting, “Selling out fast? Omaha hasn’t bought a single f—— ticket.” Brittany Belle mocked the visual optics of the rollout, writing, “Even the empty seats are embarrassed about this flop.” And writer-producer Adam G. Simon dismissed the hype entirely: “There is nowhere on earth where tickets are selling out fast for this.”
The tepid reception isn’t just a domestic phenomenon. Reports from the U.K. reveal similarly lackluster pre-sales and soft ticket demand, despite the film being rolled out across more than 100 screens. Exhibitors in Britain said advance bookings were “muted,” with many cinemagoers simply ignoring the release.
The timing hasn’t helped. A handful of White House–hosted preview events, including a private screening days before the official release, were meant to build buzz, but instead have been met with skepticism in political and entertainment circles alike.
Clips and screenshots of empty theaters have circulated widely, and some commentators mocked the film’s concept as more long-form vanity project than compelling documentary.
For all the marketing muscle and elite premieres, Melania is shaping up as a classic case of hype outpacing demand — and an expensive reminder that political notoriety doesn’t always translate to box-office success.
