Melania is out now in theaters across the U.S. and many locations around the world, and the early reviews have been damning.
The Independent critic Nick Hilton gave the film just one star, and predicted that it “will exist as a striking artifact – like The Birth of a Nation or Triumph of the Will – of a time when Americans willingly subordinated themselves to a political and economic oligopoly.”
The documentary’s premiere took place Thursday night at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
High-profile guests included Nicki Minaj and Dr. Phil, plus many Trump administration figures such as Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.; however, the mainstream press was barred from entering. The film’s controversial director, Brett Ratner — who has not worked in Hollywood since a string of sexual misconduct allegations in 2017 — was also present.
Notably absent were most of Trump’s children, including Barron Trump, the 19-year-old son he shares with Melania.
Jimmy Kimmel, a notorious Trump critic, issued a brutal takedown of the new film on his late night show, saying: “Not since The Terminator has there been this much excitement for a movie about a European cyborg.”
Despite the lavish premiere, the film is not expected to become a box office hit. It has been predicted to earn between $1 million and $5 million on its opening weekend against the $40 million that Amazon paid for it.
Follow below for updates from the nationwide release
Melania wants to see the ‘pushback’ stop against her husband, the president
Melania documentary pulled from South African theaters for ‘political reasons’
Why disgraced Rush Hour director Brett Ratner was the only man for the Melania documentary
The secret life of Melania Trump – and what her new movie tells us about her marriage
Key Points
- Ticket sales suggest poor opening weekend at the box office
- Barron and Ivanka skip premiere
- Why disgraced Rush Hour director Brett Ratner was the only man for the job
- The secret life of Melania – and what her new movie tells us about her marriage
Melania gushes over Trump ahead of his inauguaration
20:00 , Ellie MuirSpeaking in the film, Melania says of her husband: “People have tried to murder him, slander him and incarcerate him – I am so very proud of him.”
Jeff Bezos makes an appearance in the Amazon-funded film
19:35 , Ellie MuirAmazon proprietor Jeff Bezos appears alongside other tech billionaires, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook, all pop up in the film, as guests at an inauguration ball for Trump.
Amazon spent $40m on buying the rights to the film, and another $35m on promoting it.
More reviews are in...
19:15 , Ellie MuirMelania has been awarded another one star review, this time by The Guardian, which branded the movie as “dispiriting, deadly and unrevealing.”
“It’s one of those rare, unicorn films that doesn’t have a single redeeming quality,” writes Xan Brooks.
“I’m not even sure it qualifies as a documentary, exactly, so much as an elaborate piece of designer taxidermy, horribly overpriced and ice-cold to the touch and proffered like a medieval tribute to placate the greedy king on his throne.”
Melania reveals she once met Michael Jackson, and 'Billie Jean' is her favorite song
19:00 , Ellie MuirIn the film, Melania tells the camera that her favorite recording artist of all time is the late Michael Jackson, and “Billie Jean” is her favorite song.
“I met him once with Donald,” she tells the film’s director Brett Ratner in the back of a limo on the way to Mar-a-Lago. “He was very sweet, very nice.”
'These are weird times': 'Melania' audience member gives verdict after watching film
18:41 , Rhian LubinAlan Lin, 55, was one of two people in auditorium 10 at New York City’s AMC 34th Street 14 who was not a reporter or reviewer.
The astrologer from New York said he came to see the movie “mostly out of curiosity” but left with an appreciation for the first lady’s “sophisticated” skills with “aesthetics.”
“It seems like Melania is in her element when she’s dealing with aesthetics,” he told The Independent outside the theater afterward.
Lin added that he didn’t learn anything more about Melania and Donald Trump’s personal relationship that he didn’t already know, but he was “not expecting” to.
The movie, though, did help him with his craft.
“As an astrologer, if I have the opportunity to temporarily immerse myself in the life of somebody whose birth data is public…then I get a feel for the chart and it improves my craft as an astrologist,” he said.
When asked what was in store for the president, Lin said: “So Trump was born under an eclipse, which means he’s just extremely hard to predict. Leaders like that tend to rise during extremely tumultuous, unpredictable times. The most predictable thing about him is that he’s going to be part to predict.”
“He’s the weirdest president we’ve had at least in my lifetime,” he said. “These are weird times.”
Melania Trump struggles to sum up her new film in three words
18:01 , Kevin PerryBillboards defaced across Los Angeles
17:28 , Kevin Perry
In Los Angeles, graffiti artists are using Melania billboards as a canvas to protest.
In Culver City, Los Angeles, one prominent billboard has been defaced by artist collective Indecline and now shows Melania defecating onto an American flag.
“We’re calling it ‘Melania Gives a S*** About America?’ That’s the working title of the campaign,” a spokesperson for the group told Rolling Stone.
Elsewhere, other posters have seed the addition of Hitler mustaches, devil horns and other doodles.
In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, a spokesperson for LA Metro said the defacement of Melania advertisements throughout LA has been “extensive and severe.”
Critics say 'Melania' is style over substance
17:14 , Kevin Perry
As the first reviews for Melania come in, the critical consensus seems to be that the film is a triumph of style over substance.
In a two-star review for the Express, film editor George Simpson writes: “Although clearly desperate to reinvent herself as the matriarch of a new Camelot, surrounded by the gaudy Versailles tack of her husband’s New York apartments, it all feels much more Jack Sparrow gold teeth than Jackie Kennedy glitz and glamour.”
The Sydney Morning Herald is slightly more generous, handing out 2 1/2 stars. Karl Quinn writes: “Melania is all about those perfect teeth, that great hair, that catwalk-friendly silhouette. But it’s impossible not to feel that the real purpose of this portrait is not insight, but rather distraction from the awfulness and corruption of her husband’s regime.”
The most positive review so far comes from the Daily Mail contributor Link Lauren, a former senior aide for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
He was invited to the White House premiere, and writes that the film shows its protagonist as: “the matriarch, the mama bear who will stop at nothing to protect her family. She is polite but she is firm, the epitome of soft power. I would not want to cross Mrs Trump.”
Melania review – First Lady is a preening, scowling void of pure nothingness in this ghastly bit of propaganda
16:56 , Kevin PerryThe Independent critic Nick Hilton has delivered his verdict on Melania, writing that “the vulgar, gilded lifestyle of the Trumps makes them look like Marie Antoinette skulking in her cake-filled chateau.”
Read the full review here:
Melania Trump is a scowling void of pure nothingness in her ghastly film – review
Trump showers Melania with praise at documentary premiere
16:24 , Kevin PerryMelania clarifies that the film is not a documentary
16:11 , Caitlin Hornik“Some have called this a documentary. It is not,” the First Lady told the crowd who gathered at the Kennedy Center for Thursday night’s premiere.
“It is a creative experience that offers perspectives, insights and moments.”
Trump applauds 'faraway country' Melania is from
15:57 , Caitlin HornikSpeaking of the First Lady before the event, Trump told a reporter: “She comes from a faraway country, a wonderful country, clean, beautiful, safe. Doesn't have problems like others have. But she comes from a very safe country, very good country. It's different, and she speaks a lot of languages.”
He did not, however, specify that Melania is from Slovenia.
Locals were reportedly angry about the 'Melania' premiere
15:38 , Caitlin HornikThe Kennedy Center wasn’t just home to the Melania film premiere Thursday night. The National Symphony Orchestra was also playing, drawing locals eager to listen to classical music - and who were irritated (to say the least) to discover the film premiere.
“Nothing could be more dreadful than being in this building for the Melania premiere,” one woman told local outlet Washingtonian.
Someone else attending the orchestra performance told the outlet that if they had known about the Melania premiere ahead of time, “we would not be here.”
Thursday night's premiere was actually the second celebration of the film
15:27 , Caitlin HornikThe Trump family marked the launch of Melania with a special black-tie White House premiere that sent VIP guests home with monochrome cookies bearing the name “MELANIA,” branded popcorn buckets and limited-edition copies of her memoir.
Last Saturday, the black-and-white-themed event took place in a makeshift cinema at White House, which had been erected after the original cinema had been demolished to make way for Trump’s new ballroom, with a guest list of 70 attendees including Mike Tyson, Amazon’s Andy Jassy, Apple’s Tim Cook and Queen Rania of Jordan.
Ellie Muir reports:
Inside the lavish White House premiere for Melania Trump’s Amazon documentary
The internet is also roasting the film
15:11 , Caitlin HornikPeople around the world have caught on to the film’s abysmal ticket sales and have posted photos showing how many seats remain available.
“premiere day afternoon/evening screenings for the melania movie, in the biggest cinema in hungary. 0 tickets sold💀 laugh out loud,” one X user wrote, while another shared, “Premier show for Melania here in South Florida.”
“Be sure to enjoy the full #MELANIA movie experience this weekend. Your fanciest clothes and the emptiest theater,” another X user wrote.
Premier show for Melania here in South Florida 🤣@EmptySeatsPics pic.twitter.com/PThk9ulOpG
— Cougs Guy (@Cougsky) January 30, 2026
Jimmy Kimmel reacts to 'Melania' film
14:52 , Caitlin Hornik“Not since The Terminator has there been this much excitement for a movie about a European cyborg,” Kimmel said during Thursday night’s show hours after the Melania film premiere.
Kimmel also roasted the lack of A-list celebrities in attendance.
“The guest list included disgraced former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Dr. Oz, Todd and Julie Chrisley, RFK.,” Kimmel said before adding, “It was either a movie premiere or season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.”
Most of the Trump kids skip premiere
14:37 , Caitlin HornikBarron trump, the 19-year-old son of Melania and Donald Trump, didn’t attend his mother’s big night – despite appearing in the documentary – but was thanked by Melania in a speech ahead of the screening.
Ivanka, Trump’s daughter from his previous marriage to Ivana Trump, was also a no-show alongside her husband Jared Kushner, with the president’s other kids, Eric and Tiffany, also absent.
'Stars' walked the black carpet at premiere
14:24 , Caitlin HornikThose in attendance were (mostly) Trump’s cabinet and close pals.
Who attended Thursday night's 'Melania' premiere?
14:18 , Caitlin HornikMelania’s documentary premiered on Thursday at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Who was there?
Donald Trump
Don Jr
Director Brett Ratner
Robert F Kennedy Jr
Rapper (and noted Trump stan) Nicki Minaj
Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana
Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense
Dr Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Dr Phil
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro
Lizzy Savetsky, influencer
Melania Trump’s father Viktor Knavs
The First Lady wore the film's signature color: black
14:07 , Caitlin HornikBranding for Melania has been monochromatic. So it’s not surprising that Melania Trump showed up to Thursday night’s premiere in a black Dolce & Gabbana ensemble. The First Lady paired the skirt suit with a waist-cinching belt and black pumps.
The president, meanwhile, opted for a navy suit with a burgundy tie.
Melania Trump thanked 'America's director' in her speech
13:46 , Caitlin HornikAs part of her roughly seven minute speech, she said: “I would like to thank my husband, America’s director, Donald Trump.”
'Melania' producer speaks out after film's premiere
13:27 , Caitlin HornikOne of the producers on Melania, Marc Beckman, deemed Thursday night’s film premiere at the Kennedy Center “magnificent.”
“The room was filled with so much warmth,” the producer gushed during a Friday morning appearance on Fox and Friends.
“People were inspired. They never thought the First Lady was this type of person — so committed to her family, so devoted to her business, so committed to the country.
“It was a wonderful reception. It was a beautiful, beautiful evening,” he continued, noting how everyone “embraced” the First Lady.
'Melania' doc mocked by the famous Four Seasons Total Landscaping
13:12 , Tom MurrayFour Seasons Total Landscaping — the site of the infamous Trump campaign press conference in 2020 — has joined in the mockery of Melania’s poor ticket sales.
“Another world exclusive happened today in our famous Four Seasons Total Landscaping lot!!!” the company wrote on X alongside a photo of their entirely empty parking lot.
“We gathered together all the people who have gone to see the Melania movie. Here’s a photo to prove it.”
Another world exclusive happened today in our famous Four Seasons Total Landscaping lot!!!
— Four Seasons Total Landscaping (@TotalSeasons) January 29, 2026
We gathered together all the people who have gone to see the Melania movie. Here’s a photo to prove it. pic.twitter.com/QC1jsB2yGV
In November 2020, the Trump campaign accidentally booked a press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a small landscaping company in Philadelphia, instead of the Four Seasons Hotel.
The event took place in a parking lot between a crematorium and a sex shop, shortly after Joe Biden was projected to win the election, and became the subject of international ridicule.
Scenes from the Vue cinema in Westfield Stratford City, London
12:59 , Tom MurrayThe Independent’s Ellie Muir is currently at the Vue cinema in Westfield Stratford City in London, where she is among a total of five people taking in an early afternoon showing.
Her thoughts to come...
'Melania' ticket sales suggest weak box office opening
12:23 , Tom MurrayThe new documentary will come nowhere near to recouping the $40 million Amazon MGM paid for it, according to an analysis of theater sales for its opening weekend.
Amazon reportedly spent an additional $35 million to market the film.
Deadline reported that Melania has made close to $1 million in pre-sales, which puts it on course for a $5 million box office take on its opening weekend.
An analysis of opening-day ticket sales suggests a muted — though not nonexistent — response nationwide. At the first screening at the AMC in The Grove mall in Los Angeles, 15 of 132 seats had been sold as of Thursday afternoon. At the Alamo Drafthouse in New York City, just two of 31 seats had sold for the afternoon screening, but 14 had sold for an evening screening.
Ticket sales are much stronger in more conservative areas, including Orange County, California, Houston, Texas and Miami, Florida. Research by Wired magazine found that only two screenings in the U.S. were completely sold out: one at an AMC in Independence, Missouri, and one at an AMC in Vero Beach, Florida. Vero Beach is around an hour’s drive north of the president’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.
Read more here:
Melania ticket sales suggest weak box office start as some theaters cancel screenings
Watch: Trump showers Melania with praise at star-studded documentary premiere
12:02 , Tom MurrayJimmy Kimmel mocks 'Melania' documentary
11:40 , Tom MurrayWhat 'Melania' tells us about the First Lady and her marriage
11:21 , Tom MurrayIf the trailer suggests a partnership in lockstep, the geography of their lives suggests something far more detached.
Alex Hannaford talks to the author of Golden Handcuffs, who says being the wife of the US president wasn’t something Melania signed up for.
Read more:
The secret life of Melania Trump – and what her new movie tells us about her marriage
Why Brett Ratner was the only man for the Melania documentary
11:08 , Tom MurrayThe director, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, lost a lucrative production deal during the #MeToo era.
Now, as Kevin E G Perry reports, he is plotting a Hollywood comeback with an expensive documentary about the First Lady and Trump-backed plans to revive his most famous franchise.
Read more:
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Why disgraced director Brett Ratner was the only man for the Melania documentary
Mainstream press shut out of screening
10:08 , Jacob StolworthyVariety reports that journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, Vanity Fair and dozens of other outlets were allowed to ask questions outside but were not permitted access to the screening itself.
Per the publication, the only press invited in to see the film were Dan Ball and Peyton Drew of the far-right news channel One America News.
Trump hits out at Obama when questioned over documentary cost
09:45 , Jacob StolworthyAsked on the premiere’s event’s black carpet what he would say to those who have been critical of the fact that Amazon paid $40m to acquire the rights for Melania, President Trump replied:
“Well, I think they'd have to go and ask President Obama, who got paid a lot of money and hasn't done anything.”
President Obama signed a production deal with Netflix in 2018 that has produced various film projects including American Factory, Leave the World Behind, and Crip Camp.
Barron, Ivanka and Eric Trump skip premiere
09:25 , Jacob StolworthyThe 19-year-old son of Melania and Donald Trump didn’t attend his mother’s big night – despite appearing in the documentary – but was thanked by Melania in a speech ahead of the screening.
Ivanka, Trump’s daughter from his previous marriage to Ivana Trump, was also a no-show alongside her husband Jared Kushner, with the president’s other kids, Eric and Tiffany, also absent.
Who attended film premiere?
09:07 , Jacob StolworthyMelania’s documentary premiered on Thursday (29 January) at the Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington.
Who was there?
Donald Trump
Don Jr
Director Brett Ratner
Robert F Kennedy Jr
Rapper (and noted Trump stan) Nicki Minaj
Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana
Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense
Dr Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Dr Phil
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro
Lizzy Savetsky, influencer
Melania Trump’s father Viktor Knavs
Trump talks business at wife's event
08:40 , Jacob StolworthyIt might have been his wife’s time in the spotlight, but at the premiere of Melania, Trump couldn’t help but talk business, revealing he’ll be naming the next Federal Reserve today.
He told Newsmax at the event, held at the Trump-Kennedy Center, he’d picked “a very good choice” – although he would say that.
The first screening in a local Vue
08:20 , Jacob StolworthyLet’s just say, it’s not going to mirror the Barbenheimer craze of 2023.
How did Nicki Minaj become Trump's 'number one fan'?
07:59 , Kevin Perry
Nicki Minaj brought a touch of celebrity to the Melania screening at the Kennedy Center.
She said earlier this week: “I am probably the president’s number one fan, and that’s not going to change.”
Here’s The Independent’s Carsen Holaday on the controversies, feuds and fan backlash that reshaped the rapper’s career:
How Nicki Minaj went from Queen of Rap to controversial Trump cheerleader
Brett Ratner and Marc Beckman pictured together at 'Melania' premiere
07:00 , Kevin Perry
If Brett Ratner succeeds in using Melania to revive his career, he’ll have Melania’s senior advisor Marc Beckman to thank.
Beckman and Ratner have known each other since the former’s advertising agency hired the director in 2007 for a provocative jeans campaign starring a topless Heidi Klum.
Beckman also negotiated the unusually high $40 million deal for the documentary with Amazon MGM, and recommended Ratner for the directing job.
“He understood how to bring this cinematic, stylized quality to the film that the First Lady envisioned,” Beckman recently told The Times.
Most of President Trump’s children, including Barron, appear to skip event
06:00 , Kevin Perry
Among the notable absentees for last night’s premiere were most of President Trump’s children.
That includes Barron Trump, the son he shares with Melania. The 19-year-old rarely makes public appearances.
It had previously been reported that Eric and Ivanka Trump were unlikely to attend the event.
Donald Trump Jr. however did attend.
Melania struggles to sum up film in three words
05:00 , Kevin PerryTrump takes shots at Obama when questioned over documentary cost
04:36 , Kevin Perry
Asked on the event’s black carpet what he would say to those who have been critical of the fact that Amazon paid $40 million to acquire the rights for this movie, President Trump replied:
“Well, I think they'd have to go and ask President Obama, who got paid a lot of money and hasn't done anything.”
President Obama signed a production deal with Netflix in 2018 that has produced various film projects including American Factory, Leave the World Behind, and Crip Camp.
‘Melania is a huge supporter of my agenda,’ says RFK Jr.
04:00 , Kevin PerryMelania calls Trump 'America's director'
03:18 , Kevin Perry
In her speech at the Kennedy Center, Melania Trump began by thanking her husband, who she referred to as “America’s director, Donald Trump.”
She also claimed that her new film is not a documentary, but instead a “deliberate act of authorship.”
Nicki Minaj and Dr Phil attend screening
02:18 , Kevin PerryNicki Minaj and Dr Phil were among the attendees at the Melania screening at the Kennedy Center.
Minaj said earlier this week: “I am probably the president’s number one fan, and that’s not going to change.”
Here’s The Independent’s Carsen Holaday on the controversies, feuds and fan backlash that reshaped the rapper’s career:
How Nicki Minaj went from Queen of Rap to controversial Trump cheerleader
Most of President Trump’s children, including Barron, appear to skip event
02:11 , Kevin PerryAmong the notable absentees for tonight’s premiere event were most of President Trump’s children.
That includes Barron Trump, the son he shares with Melania. The 19-year-old rarely makes public appearances.
It had previously been reported that Eric and Ivanka Trump were unlikely to attend the event.
Donald Trump Jr. did attend.
Melania reveals further details of upcoming docuseries
01:52 , Kevin Perry
As if the release of the feature-length Melania documentary wasn’t enough, Prime video will also release several episodes of a docuseries later this year.
Speaking about the show at the premiere, Melania said: “We are still producing it, and that will be completely new footage.
“We have some scenes that are not in the movie. We will have in a few months a docuseries, so people will see much more documentary.”
Melania struggles to sum up film in three words
00:49 , Kevin PerryAsked on the red carpet whether she can describe the film in three words, Melania responds:
"I think the people will judge it for themselves... It’s beautiful, it’s emotional, it’s fashionable, it’s cinematic, and I’m very proud of it."
Donald and Melania Trump arrive at First Lady's documentary premiere
00:41 , Kevin PerryTrump takes shots at Obama when questioned over documentary cost
00:30 , Kevin PerryAsked on the red carpet what he would say to those who have been critical of the fact that Amazon paid $40 million to acquire the rights for this movie, President Trump replied:
“Well, I think they'd have to go and ask President Obama, who got paid a lot of money and hasn't done anything.”
President Obama signed a production deal with Netflix in 2018 that has produced various film projects including American Factory, Leave the World Behind, and Crip Camp.
‘Melania is a huge supporter of my agenda,’ says RFK Jr.
00:26 , Kevin PerryDonald and Melania arrive
00:20 , Kevin Perry
Television stars and Trump cabinet members continue to arrive
00:11 , Kevin Perry
Brett Ratner and Marc Beckman pictured together at 'Melania' premiere
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:55 , Kevin PerryIf Brett Ratner succeeds in using Melania to revive his career, he’ll have Melania’s senior advisor Marc Beckman to thank.
Beckman and Ratner have known each other since the former’s advertising agency hired the director in 2007 for a provocative jeans campaign starring a topless Heidi Klum.
Beckman also negotiated the unusually high $40 million deal for the documentary with Amazon MGM, and recommended Ratner for the directing job.
“He understood how to bring this cinematic, stylized quality to the film that the First Lady envisioned,” Beckman recently told The Times.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. among first arrivals for 'Melania' premiere
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:43 , Kevin Perry
On social media site X, the celebrated horror author Stephen King has weighed in on Melania’s chances at the box office this weekend.
In response to a post from the Trump administration’s chief of protocol Monica Crowley claiming that we will all “learn soon” that President Trump won the 2020 election, King joked:
“Not only that, MELANIA will rule the box office.”
What will 'Melania' tell us about the Trump marriage?
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:20 , Kevin PerryIn the trailer for Melania Trump’s co-produced, eponymous documentary, the first lady sits in a White House function room while her husband stands at a lectern and announces: “My proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker.” To which Melania responds, “Peacemaker and unifier.”
This breadcrumb was released in December, but as the film is finally released this Friday, barely a month later, Melania’s “peacemaking and unifying” narrative seems starkly out of step with what is unfolding in real time.
Continue reading:
The secret life of Melania Trump – and what her new movie tells us about her marriage
Campaign group says Brett Ratner’s 'Melania' film is an insult to Epstein survivors
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:49 , Kevin Perry
The gender justice campaign group UltraViolet Action have condemned the release of Melania, pointing out that both Trump and the documentary’s director Brett Ratner appear in the Epstein files.
In a statement to The Independent, Elisa Batista, Campaign Director at UltraViolet Action said: “As millions of Americans and thousands of Epstein survivors continue to demand the full release of the Epstein files, Trump and his abuser buddies have instead chosen to release a vanity project wanted by no one.
“This documentary is the latest insult to survivors and a further stain on an administration that continuously bends over backwards to protect abusers.
“Just like when they refused to fully release the Epstein files by the legal deadline, the Trump administration is yet again attempting to undo the sacrifice of survivors who came forward to demand transparency and accountability.
“They’re banking on distraction and our disengagement, but we are here to say it won’t work. Survivors will continue to keep alive this campaign for accountability and transparency.”
CNN polling analyst predicts failure
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:30 , Carsen HoladayAmazon reportedly spent $75 million to acquire and promote the new movie.
However, CNN polling analyst Harry Enten estimates the documentary will earn between just $1 million and $5 million during its opening weekend.
Majority of 'Melania' crew asked to go uncredited
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:07 , Carsen HoladayTwo-thirds of the Melania documentary crew movie members asked to have their names removed from the credits, according to a new report.
Read more here:
‘Alarmed’ crew members behind Melania documentary ask to remove their names: report
Expected guests at the 'Melania' premiere
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:46 , Carsen HoladayAfter the White House’s private screening of Melania, the New York City premiere of the documentary is expected to welcome some guests besides family members and members of the Trump administration.
The guest list includes:
- Jordan Belfort
- A.R. Rahman
- Eric Adams
- Waka Flocka Flame
- Todd, Julie, Savannah and Chris Chrisley
- Dr. Phil
Watch the trailer for 'Melania'
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:41 , Carsen HoladayWhere is the 'Melania' premiere being held?
Thursday 29 January 2026 20:57 , Kevin PerryOn official invites for tonight’s Melania premiere, the venue is referred to as the “Trump-Kennedy Center”.
This new title for The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has proved highly controversial, and legal observers have argued that only Congress can legally change the venue’s name.
Read more here:
Did the Trump-Kennedy Center board violate federal law by renaming facility?
