Melania Trump Documentary Stumbles at UK Box Office with Near-Empty Screenings
The much-discussed documentary about former US First Lady Melania Trump has made a disappointing debut in British cinemas, opening at a lowly 29th position in the UK box office rankings. Despite generating considerable media buzz and controversy, Melania managed to secure only £32,974 from 155 cinemas across its first weekend, resulting in a screen average of just £212.80.
Disappointing Figures Contrast with US Performance
While the UK figures represent a significant underperformance, the documentary's US opening exceeded initial predictions by grossing $2.9 million from 1,778 cinemas. However, even this stronger American showing couldn't prevent the film from being labelled a commercial disappointment, particularly given the reported $75 million investment by Amazon for distribution and promotion rights.
The UK release was characterised by numerous near-empty screenings, with some venues reporting completely vacant auditoriums over the weekend. Industry observers had previously described advance ticket sales as "soft," according to Vue chief executive Tim Richards, and this prediction proved accurate as audiences largely stayed away from cinemas showing the documentary.
Journalist Interest Contrasts with Public Apathy
Despite the general public's apparent lack of interest, certain screenings attracted significant media attention. Vue Islington reported fully booked screenings populated primarily by journalists, who rushed to view the film after Amazon decided against holding traditional preview screenings for critics.
The Independent documented one particularly sparse screening at Vue Westfield in Stratford, where only four audience members were present - two of whom were reporters. This pattern of journalist-heavy attendance contrasted sharply with the minimal public interest demonstrated across most UK venues.
Independent Horror Film Outperforms High-Profile Documentary
In a surprising turn of events, Melania was comprehensively outperformed by Iron Lung, an independently financed horror film created by YouTuber Mark Fischbach. Made for just $3 million, the horror feature has generated approximately $21 million to date - representing a sevenfold return on its modest budget.
In the UK market, Iron Lung reached an impressive fourth position at the box office with takings of £948,731, even surpassing the week's major studio release - Jason Statham's action film Shelter, which managed £946,903.
Critical Reception and Content Overview
The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, focuses on the twenty days leading up to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration in January 2025. Critical reception has been overwhelmingly negative, with the film currently holding a meagre 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, audience ratings tell a different story, with viewers awarding the documentary a remarkable 99% score - a disparity that appears to reflect political divisions rather than cinematic quality assessment.
In his one-star review for The Independent, critic Nick Hilton questioned the film's authenticity, suggesting it occupies "somewhere between reality TV and pure fiction" rather than functioning as a genuine documentary. Hilton noted that Melania Trump appears to be playing "a staged version of herself" throughout the film, with scenes composed with the same deliberateness Ratner brought to his work on X-Men: The Last Stand.
The documentary's UK performance raises questions about British audiences' appetite for politically charged content centred on American political figures, particularly when such material receives mixed critical reception and faces competition from more commercially appealing alternatives.
