Melania' 2nd Weekend Box Office Craters By 67% Despite 300 Added Theaters

"Melania, the documentary, plunged to the No. 9 spot at the box office in its second weekend, bringing in $2.37 million, according to The Associated Press. This, after a surprisingly strong opening weekend that brought in an unexpected $7 million domestically. In its first weekend, The Hollywood Reporter said the documentary was galvanizing conservatives in the south, specifically older females over the age of 55, who made up 72 percent of the opening-day audience."

"The downturn in week two reflect a 67% decline in ticket sales from week one, despite an additional 300 theaters picking up the film. Melania brought in about $13.35 million domestically in its first two weekends in what the AP called a notable tally for a documentary that isn't about nature or music. However, the project cost Amazon MGM an astounding $40 million with a $35 million marketing budget."

"Those are unprecedented costs considering documentaries aren't traditionally a driver of big box office dollars, Variety reported, adding, Amazon MGM's lavish spend has prompted others in the industry to speculate whether the doc is the studio's attempt to cozy up to the current administration. The rapid downturn means the Brett Ratner-directed documentary is likely heading toward flop territory given its high price tag, the AP reported. Amazon MGM took the unusual step to release a statement about the film's second weekend results, according to the AP. Melania's' strong theatrical performance is a critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy, building awareness, engagement, and provides momentum ahead of the film's eventual debut on Prime Video, said Amazon MGM's head of domestic theatrical distribution."

The Melania documentary opened to an unexpected $7 million domestically, then dropped to $2.37 million in its second weekend, falling to No. 9. Opening-day audiences skewed heavily toward conservative women over 55, comprising 72 percent of attendees. Week two ticket sales declined 67% despite expansion into 300 additional theaters, producing $13.35 million across two weekends. Production and marketing costs reached $40 million and $35 million respectively, unprecedented for a documentary. Industry observers questioned whether Amazon MGM's high spend signaled political positioning. The steep drop and high expenses make the film likely to underperform financially.

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