Melania Trump Documentary Faces Humiliating UK Premiere with Single Attendee
Despite a colossal $35 million (£25m) marketing campaign and a $40 million (£29m) acquisition cost, Amazon MGM Studios' glossy documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump has opened to disastrous ticket sales in the United Kingdom. The film's UK premiere at Vue's flagship Islington cinema in London on Friday afternoon attracted just one paying customer, marking a spectacularly poor reception for the high-profile production.
Presidential Promotion Versus Box Office Reality
Former US President Donald Trump has vigorously promoted his wife's documentary on social media, posting photographs from VIP-packed screenings and declaring the film "a MUST WATCH" with tickets "selling out, FAST!" However, UK cinema data reveals a starkly different reality. The 3:10pm screening at Vue Islington sold only one ticket, while the later 6pm showing managed just two sales. Future screenings in the cinema's modest 25-seat auditorium appear to be faring similarly poorly according to industry reports.
Vue's chief executive Tim Richards confirmed to the Guardian that UK ticket sales for Melania have been "soft" since its release. The cinema chain has not responded to requests for detailed sales figures, but industry insiders suggest the distributors might be employing "four-walling" tactics—paying cinemas directly to secure screenings regardless of audience interest.
Massive Investment Meets Minimal Interest
The financial scale of this project is particularly noteworthy for a documentary film. Amazon MGM Studios allocated a marketing budget comparable to that of a small feature film, yet chose not to preview Melania for critics before release. Instead, the First Lady and director Brett Ratner hosted a private White House screening in the East Room last weekend.
The documentary, shot during the twenty days preceding Donald Trump's 2025 inauguration, promises exclusive access to Melania Trump's world as she navigates White House transition complexities and orchestrates inauguration plans. Amazon's promotional materials describe footage capturing "critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments" showcasing Mrs. Trump's return to "one of the world's most powerful roles."
Industry Experts Question Strategic Decisions
Movie industry tracking firm NRG initially predicted a $5 million opening weekend for Melania, but exhibitors have grown increasingly pessimistic amid persistently sluggish ticket sales. Documentary filmmaker Stefano Da Frè, while not involved in the project, suggested Amazon's data-driven approach should have predicted this outcome, telling CNN: "With all their tools, all their AI, Amazon Web Services—they didn't just come up with that number randomly. They believe, through their metrics, that it's worth that amount."
An Amazon MGM Studios spokesperson defended the substantial investment, stating: "We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only—because we think customers are going to love it." This statement directly counters suggestions that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos approved what some critics have described as Melania Trump's "vanity project" without proper commercial justification.
The dramatic disconnect between the film's substantial production budget and its minimal UK audience raises significant questions about documentary film economics and the commercial viability of politically-charged biographical projects in international markets.
