Mexico City cinemas were largely empty Friday for the premiere of a new documentary about Melania Trump, signaling a widespread lack of interest—and in some cases, outright protest—surrounding the film. The opening scenes showed Trump leaving her Mar-a-Lago estate for New York to prepare for her husband’s inauguration, but few were there to witness it.
Documentary Faces Empty Theaters and Public Rejection
The film’s opening weekend box office numbers are projected to fall far short of its production costs.
- The documentary premiered to nearly empty theaters in Mexico City, with an average of just 2.9 attendees per screening.
- Promotional banners in Mexico City were vandalized with the phrase “Trump Assassin.”
- South Africa’s distributor canceled theatrical screenings due to recent tensions with the Trump administration.
- Predictions suggest the film will generate between $3 and $5 million, significantly less than the $75 million invested in rights and promotion.
The chilly reception in Mexico is representative of a broader trend. A review of 27 screenings scheduled over the weekend in eight central Mexico City cinemas revealed only 12 tickets sold, averaging 2.9 attendees per show. Fifteen screenings remained entirely empty. Outside theaters, the discontent was even more visible, with promotional banners along major thoroughfares like Insurgentes Sur and Cuauhtémoc Avenue defaced with the message “Trump Assassin.”
Global Disconnect and Controversy
Similar scenes played out internationally, with protests accompanying the film’s release in various locations. In South Africa, the local distributor opted not to screen the documentary in theaters, citing recent tensions with the Trump administration.
Financially, the film appears to be underperforming. Variety predicts a domestic box office gross of $3 to $5 million, a figure significantly lower than the $40 million spent on the film’s rights and the alleged $35 million Amazon MGM Studios allocated for promotion. The documentary will be available for streaming on Prime Video in the coming weeks.
Directed by Brett Ratner—who faced accusations of sexual harassment and violence from multiple actresses in 2017—the documentary follows the former First Lady during the weeks leading up to her husband’s second inauguration. The production aims to present a candid portrayal of Melania Trump, but observers note a lack of spontaneity, even when addressing personal topics like the 2024 death of her mother. Much of the film relies on narration and staged moments, including a conversation with Donald Trump about their son Barron.
The premiere coincides with heightened scrutiny of the administration’s response to crises. While the film depicts Trump focused on wardrobe fittings and interior design, the administration is facing criticism for its handling of the situation in Minneapolis following Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, and the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens killed by federal agents this month. Further fueling controversy, the government has been accused of promoting the documentary through official White House channels, including publishing excerpts from an interview with Trump conducted by Fox.
What is the projected box office revenue for the Melania documentary? Variety predicts the film will generate between $3 and $5 million domestically, falling short of the $75 million invested in rights and promotion.
