Melania, a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, debuted with an estimated $7 million at the box office, exceeding expectations, according to figures released Sunday.
The film, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, follows Trump over a 20-day period last January, leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. By documentary standards, Melania was a notable success, posting the strongest opening weekend for a non-concert documentary in 14 years. Pre-release estimates had projected between $3 million and $5 million in ticket sales.
Directed by Brett Ratner, the documentary opened in 1,778 theaters nationwide.
As USA Today reported, Melania ranked third at the domestic box office for the weekend. The documentary trailed Send Help ($20 million) and Iron Lung ($17.9 million).
“We’re very encouraged by the strong start and positive audience response, with early box office for ‘Melania’ exceeding our expectations,” Kevin Wilson, head of domestic theatrical distribution at Amazon MGM Studios, said.
“This momentum is an important first step in what we see as a long-tail lifecycle for both the film and the forthcoming docu-series, extending well beyond the theatrical window and into what we believe will be a significant run for both on our service.”
Amazon MGM Studios acquired the Melania Trump documentary for a reported $40 million and is believed to have invested a comparable sum in marketing.
Women and audiences over 55 fueled the opening, with both demographics representing at least 70% of ticket sales.
Final box-office totals will be released Feb. 2.
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