Melania Tr*mp’s vanity biopic is almost here, and early box office projections suggest it’s headed straight for a cinematic disaster.
Melania Tr*mp’s long teased documentary is finally about to hit theaters, and all signs point to it being a full blown box office flopperoni.
Back in December, audiences were treated to the film’s first trailer, which somehow managed to be more unsettling than most big budget horror movies currently streaming. “Witness history,” the teaser promised, playing over a montage of the former First Lady staring blankly into the distance while cycling through a series of aggressively beige, fast fashion adjacent looks.
Off to a great start.
Now, with the film set to open on January 30, industry insiders are bracing for another nightmare. According to box office tracking estimates, the documentary is projected to debut in the low single digit millions domestically, a fraction of the reported forty million dollars Amazon paid to acquire it.
That number would be embarrassing for any release, but especially so for a project clearly designed as a prestige vanity piece. Reports of sparse ticket sales for the New York premiere have only added to the gloom, with insiders describing theaters that are far from full.
One source told Substack journalist Rob Shuter that expectations were higher, but enthusiasm simply has not materialized. The insider added that there is internal discussion about delaying or minimizing the release of official box office numbers if the opening weekend turns out to be weaker than anticipated.
It would not be the first time numbers surrounding the Tr*mp brand have been creatively framed. While it is relatively easy to inflate streaming metrics, it is far harder to pretend butts were in seats when theaters are visibly empty.
Trmp himself appears to be doing preemptive damage control, publicly calling the film “incredible” while avoiding questions about Ivanka Trmp’s reportedly cut role. The documentary has also been dogged by renewed scrutiny of director Brett Ratner, whose alleged past misconduct and recent resurfacing in Epstein related reporting is unlikely to help the film’s reputation.
Even in Tr*mp friendly territory, excitement appears muted. One insider claimed that advance sales in reliably conservative regions have been sluggish at best, with screenings described as “practically empty.”
That lack of enthusiasm tracks. Tr*mp’s approval ratings have hit new lows following recent international controversies, and even his remaining supporters do not seem eager to shell out premium ticket prices for a glossy portrait of his mostly silent spouse.
After more than twenty years married to one of the most polarizing men in modern politics, Melania Tr*mp has weathered plenty of public embarrassment.
Whether she can weather the opening weekend of this documentary remains to be seen.