Melania, the high-profile documentary centered on former first lady Melania Trump, debuted to a strong $7.04 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend.
According to Deadline, the figure marks the largest opening for a non-fiction film in the past decade. This surpasses the previous record held by 2023’s After Death, which earned $5 million in its debut.
The result significantly outperformed industry expectations, which had projected a $3 million to $5 million opening, per Variety.
The film premiered on Thursday at the newly rebranded Kennedy Center before going nationwide on January 30. Backed by a reported $40 million Amazon MGM deal and a $35 million marketing push, Melania follows the first lady in the weeks before Donald Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. Melania Trump, 55, serves as an executive producer on the project.
Director Brett Ratner returned to filmmaking with the documentary after years away from Hollywood following multiple sexual misconduct allegations during the #MeToo movement; no criminal charges were filed.
Ahead of the theatrical release, Trump hosted a private screening of the film at the White House on January 24 for friends and family, calling the event “a historic moment” in a post shared to X the following day. The screening took place as protests were unfolding in Minneapolis over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents.
Prior to release, some industry forecasts were far more conservative. Market research firm National Research Group projected a $5 million opening, according to Puck, while Boxoffice Pro estimated the film would earn between $1 million and $2 million in its first weekend.
The documentary’s strong debut could lead to a bigger Hollywood role for the former first lady. In November, Trump announced the launch of her production company, Muse Films.
Her senior adviser and agent, Marc Beckman, told People the company plans to develop lifestyle-focused film and television projects, with an emphasis on fashion, art, music, wellness, and family-oriented content.
