Amazon's Melania Documentary Makes Impressive $7 Million Debut
Amazon MGM Studios' documentary Melania has opened with a robust $7 million (approximately ₹64 crore) at the domestic box office. This debut marks the most significant opening for a non-music documentary in more than ten years, standing out in a genre where large ticket sales are uncommon.
Documentary Box Office Context and Performance
This result is particularly notable because documentaries rarely generate substantial box office revenue. According to Comscore data, most documentary releases over the past decade have opened below $5 million and typically earned between $10 million and $20 million (around ₹184 crore) worldwide. The strong opening of Melania defies these trends, highlighting its unique appeal.
Women and viewers aged 55 and over were key demographics, accounting for more than 70% of ticket sales and consequently over 70% of the earnings. Additionally, rural cinemas contributed 46% of the total collections, significantly above their usual 30% share, as reported by CNBC. These theatres serve towns with populations under 5 lakh, and data from EntTelligence estimates that approximately 6 lakh people watched the film over its opening weekend.
Comparison with Other Documentaries
While films linked to popular music stars often perform better due to loyal fan bases, Melania's opening is impressive for a political documentary. The record for political documentaries remains with Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, which debuted with $23.9 million (about ₹220 crore) in 2004 and went on to earn $119 million (approximately ₹1,094 crore) domestically overall.
Production and Release Details
Produced by Amazon MGM Studios and directed by Brett Ratner, marking his return after 2017 misconduct allegations, Melania was released in theatres on 30 January. The 104-minute documentary follows First Lady Melania Trump over the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's 2025 inauguration. Amazon reportedly paid $40 million (around ₹368 crore) for distribution rights and a follow-up docuseries, making it the most expensive documentary acquisition to date, with marketing costs estimated at an additional $35 million. Melania Trump served as executive producer and retained editorial control.
Critical and Audience Reception
Despite its notable box office performance, reception has been sharply divided. Critics were largely negative, giving it a 10% score on Rotten Tomatoes and labeling it as propaganda. Donald Clarke of The Irish Times noted, No good impression emerges of the former Slovenian model. No bad impression emerges either. William Bibbiani of TheWrap commented, I have no idea why she was okay with this movie being released, because Brett Ratner couldn't find the humanity in a funeral. Literally. Sonny Bunch of The Bulwark described it as fascinating to see so pure and naked an instrument of graft and propaganda deployed to great effect on an audience happy to lap it up.
In contrast, audiences reacted positively, with a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A grade from CinemaScore. Kevin Wilson, head of domestic theatrical distribution at Amazon MGM Studios, stated, We're very encouraged by the strong start and positive audience response, with early box office for 'Melania' exceeding our expectations. He added, This momentum is an important first step in what we see as a long-tail lifecycle for both the film and the forthcoming docu-series, extending well beyond the theatrical window and into what we believe will be a significant run for both on our service. According to US President Donald Trump, it is a must-watch.
Availability in India
For viewers in India, options to watch the documentary are currently limited. Melania was released worldwide across more than 5,000 screens, with a primary focus on around 1,500 cinemas in the United States. Since it is mostly not available in theatres in India, streaming is the safest option. The documentary is expected to arrive on Amazon Prime Video India 3-4 weeks after its cinema release, likely in late February. Amazon will also release a three-part companion docuseries on Prime Video later in 2026.
