Empty Theaters and Mockery as Melania Trump’s $75M Film Flops Before Release

The Inquisitr

"Melania" Movie Meltdown? $75M Documentary Faces Empty Theaters and Mockery Despite President Donald Trump claiming that tickets for his wife's new documentary are "selling out, FAST," industry reports tell a starkly different story. As the January 30 premiere of #Melania looms, major cinema chains like #Vue in the UK are reporting "soft" ticket sales, with some flagship locations selling as few as one or two tickets for opening night. This #BreakingNews comes amid a wave of #SocialMediaMockery, as users on platforms like #Letterboxd and #TikTok have begun "review bombing" the film days before its global debut.  The project, which reportedly cost #AmazonMGM $40 million to license with an additional $35 million in marketing, is the first major film from Brett Ratner in years. While a star-studded VIP screening was held at the White House—attended by tech giants like Andy Jassy and Tim Cook, and celebrities like Mike Tyson—the general public seems less enthused. Critics have labeled the trailer "staged" and "static," likening it to a high-budget perfume advertisement rather than a behind-the-scenes look at the #TrumpAdministration transition.  From #DefacedPosters to reports of #EmptyTheaters, the #MelaniaMovie is facing an uphill battle to recoup its massive $75 million investment. This video explores the disconnect between the #TrumpNewsom rivalry at #Davos2026 and the domestic reception of this "authorized vanity project." Is the #FirstLady’s cinematic debut destined to be a box office bomb, or will the #MAGA base rally to save it at the final hour?  #MelaniaTrump #DonaldTrump #MelaniaMovie #BreakingNews #BoxOfficeBomb #AmazonMGM #BrettRatner #USPolitics #WhiteHouse #TrumpNews #Documentary #TrendingNow #EmptyTheaters #SocialMediaMockery

Transcript

00:00A big-budget documentary focused on First Lady Melania Trump is facing weak advance ticket sales

00:05as it prepares for its nationwide theatrical release. According to multiple reports and

00:09social media posts, the film, which follows Melania Trump during the 20 days leading up

00:14to President Donald Trump's second inauguration, is scheduled to open Friday in approximately

00:191,500 to 2,000 theaters across the United States. However, days before its debut,

00:25online users have posted screenshots of ticketing platforms showing large numbers

00:29of unsold seats at cinemas in multiple states. Former naval intelligence officer and community

00:34activist Travis Akers shared an image of an empty booking screen at a major theater in Jacksonville,

00:39Florida, writing that no tickets had been sold for the opening night showing.

00:43Author and documentary filmmaker Greg Mitchell reported that only 20 tickets had been sold

00:47across four screenings at a large multiplex near his location. Journalist Mike Rothschild posted

00:53screenshots showing limited sales at several theaters in California, including Los Angeles

00:57and Orange County, where some screenings had sold fewer than five tickets. Additional searches

01:02by media outlets found similarly sparse ticket sales at theaters in New York, Los Angeles,

01:07and Georgia. At one AMC theater in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a 7.10 p.m. showing on opening night

01:13remained completely unsold as of Tuesday morning. Amazon MGM Studios reportedly purchased the rights

01:19to the documentary for $40 million and has spent an additional $35 million on marketing

01:24and promotion. According to industry publication Puck, director Brett Ratner received approximately

01:29$40 million to direct the project. Box office analysts estimate that the film could generate

01:35around $5 million during its opening weekend, significantly below expectations for a production

01:40with its reported budget. Industry observers also report limited interest overseas. The Guardian noted

01:46that screenings across several cinemas in the United Kingdom showed minimal or no ticket sales.

01:50One industry analyst told the newspaper that the film's box office performance may struggle to reach

01:55reporting thresholds. The documentary's theatrical run will be closely watched as it enters its opening

02:01weekend amid widespread online attention and debate surrounding its early ticket sales.

02:06Follow for more political updates. Don't forget to like and share your thoughts in the comments below.

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