Melania Trump's self-titled documentary opened to a $7 million domestic gross, placing third at the box office over its opening weekend. Despite not claiming the top spot, the film exceeded projections, facing strong competition from the horror thriller Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams, which earned around $20 million, and the self-distributed video game adaptation Iron Lung, which grossed $17.9 million.
The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, follows Melania through various meetings and fittings in the lead-up to her husband’s second inauguration, highlighting her attention to detail for her inaugural coat, hat, and gown. Some behind-the-scenes details, including Melania’s private emails, have recently surfaced, shedding light on her thoughts during this period (read more here).
During a Fox News broadcast of President Donald Trump signing a bill to reopen the government after a partial shutdown, he paused mid-speech to praise his wife’s documentary. “Oh wow! Movie star! Melania Trump,” he said, adding, “She really loves the children. And she's had tremendous success… So it's the number one documentary in 19 years. Can you believe this?” He joked about receiving nothing personally from it, saying, “So I had a top model. Now I have a top movie star.” The media reaction to his comments has been widespread, with many outlets analyzing the president’s remarks (see coverage here).
At the Kennedy Center premiere in Washington, D.C., Ratner addressed the film’s box office performance, emphasizing that documentaries traditionally don’t generate blockbuster numbers in theaters. “It's a documentary and documentaries historically have not been huge box office smashes. You can't expect a documentary to play in theaters,” he told reporters, noting that box office results wouldn’t define the film’s success. For more on Ratner’s perspective and the premiere reaction, including critiques of the documentary, click here.
President Trump also attended the premiere, praising the documentary for bringing back a sense of glamour. “It really brings back a glamour that you just don't see anymore. Our country can use a little bit of that, right?” he said. Some viewers have shared their impressions and takeaways from the film online (detailed summary here).
After its theatrical run, Melania will be available for streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, expected later in 2026. Updates on the streaming release and Ratner’s comments about it can be found here.
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