In a weekend marked by low ticket sales, the documentary “Melania,” directed by Brett Ratner and distributed by Amazon MGM, earned $2.4 million in its second weekend. That’s a massive 67% decrease from its opening weekend. Now the concern is shifting to the film’s long-term box office potential.
Melania, an intimate portrait of Melania Trump, greatly increased its theatrical footprint, playing in 300 more theaters on its second weekend. The growth in the number of venues didn’t lead to any significant increase in ticket sales. The film’s North American total is now $13.4 million, on a reported $3 million production budget. It can’t be overstated how shocking the drop in revenue is. It implies that “Melania” is on track for flop territory, particularly given its exorbitant cost.
From the start of the week, conversations about the documentary’s record ticket sales were at the top of entertainment news. Creators, industry experts, and many others saw a violent crash-and-burn in the film’s performance. Looking ahead, they worry that this trend could impact its highly-anticipated debut on Prime Video.
The phenomenal audience support for “Send Help” is reflected in its time at No. 1 in theaters. Meanwhile, “Melania” is still fighting an uphill battle, having possibly lost their potential viewers to other movies. The outcome of “Melania” is anybody’s guess.
“is a critical first moment that validates our wholistic distribution strategy, building awareness, engagement, and provides momentum ahead of the film’s eventual debut on Prime Video.”
While “Melania” continues to struggle, “Send Help” has managed to hold steady at No. 1 in theaters, suggesting that audiences may be gravitating towards other films instead. As the industry watches closely, the future of “Melania” remains uncertain.
