Melania Trump’s eponymous documentary, “Melania,” is set to premiere Thursday night at the Kennedy Center, with the first lady and president Trump strutting the red carpet a day before the film’s worldwide theatrical release, which so far has reportedly low presale numbers.
The movie chronicles the first lady’s experience during the 20 days before her husband’s 2025 inauguration. It promises an inside look at what it was like for Melania as she oversaw and coordinated her family’s return to the White House.
“My new film, ‘Melania,’ provides a window into an important period for America, the 47th presidential inauguration,” Melania Trump said Wednesday at the New York Stock Exchange, where she rang the day’s opening bell. “For the first time in history, people will witness the 20 days leading up to the inauguration, through the eyes of an incoming first lady.”
Thursday evening’s showing is invite-only, as is the 21-theater nationwide simulcast aimed at revving up enthusiasm for the film. On Friday it will be released in 1,600 screens worldwide, 1,500 of them in the U.S.
Enthusiasm is the one thing that appears to be lacking. Ticket sales are reportedly in the single digits in some theaters. In Palm Beach, Florida, right near Mar-a-Lago, just 13% of the available tickets — 234 of 1,770 seats — had been spoken for by late Wednesday afternoon, according to Newsweek.
New York City’s AMC theaters saw as few as five tickets sold in several theaters, even at a 20% discount.
In Australia, where it’s already Friday, two tickets had been sold in Sydney for the three showings scheduled through Sunday, and one of them was for the reviewer, News.com.au reported.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos paid $40 million to acquire the rights to make the film, and another reported $35 million to market it. The most optimistic box office predictions barely top $5 million.
