Los Angeles, February 2: The Melania documentary, focusing on the former US First Lady Melania Trump, opened strongly at the North American weekend box office, drawing significant attention despite receiving mixed reactions from critics.
Directed by Brett Ratner, the film covers events leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, set 20 days before the ceremony. According to reports, the documentary earned nearly 7 million US dollars at the box office, a remarkable figure for this genre.
Expectations are high that it could become one of the best-performing documentaries in nearly a decade. Melania Trump herself commented on social media platform X, praising the film’s audience score with an “A” rating.
However, critical reception has been harsh. On Metacritic, the documentary holds only a 6% approval rating, and on Rotten Tomatoes, it has just 10%, indicating most critics did not view it positively.
This film marks Ratner’s first feature in 12 years, following several sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied and faced no criminal charges for. His return to directing after a decade has attracted considerable attention.
Despite its strong opening, the documentary faces challenges in achieving commercial success. Amazon MGM Studios invested 40 million US dollars in distribution rights and spent another 35 million on marketing. The Hollywood Reporter has called it one of the most expensive documentaries to date.
Amazon clarified that the licensing decision was based on anticipated audience interest. Ticket sales reflected the country’s political divides, with conservative areas showing more enthusiasm compared to liberal urban centers.
According to Variety, about 75% of viewers were from North America, followed by Hispanic audiences making up 11% of ticket buyers. The term Hispanic refers to people connected to Spanish-speaking cultures or countries.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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