Despite bold assertions from former US President Donald Trump that the new documentary about his wife was "selling out fast," the reality appears starkly different. Opening night data from the film's Boston screenings revealed nearly empty theaters, contradicting these claims and sparking widespread discussion online.
Efforts to Boost Attendance Through Paid Offers
As early ticket sales seemed sluggish across the nation, a surprising effort emerged to artificially inflate the audience for the First Lady's documentary, titled "Melania." This film chronicles her private life leading up to the 2025 inauguration. According to a report by Axios, producer Nate Gilbert discovered a Craigslist advertisement that went viral, offering free tickets plus $50 to anyone willing to sit through the film in Boston during its opening weekend.
The advertisement explicitly stated: "Attend MELANIA documentary at any Boston area theatre during opening weekend (this upcoming weekend). Free tickets + $50 per seat occupied. Must remain in seats for entirety of film." This move highlighted the apparent struggle to attract viewers organically, raising questions about the documentary's appeal and marketing strategy.
Netizens React to Empty Theaters and Poor Sales
The discovery of the Craigslist ad followed earlier reports indicating that "Melania" was not selling tickets based on its own merits. Nate Gilbert provided screenshot evidence, reporting, "Not a single ticket sold for the opening night of Melania at Boston's largest theater." This revelation prompted others to check their local theaters, often finding similar results with either no seats sold or just a few purchased.
These findings aligned with predictions from CNN polling analyst Harry Enten, who estimated that "Melania" would net between $1 million and $5 million. This range represents a substantial financial loss for Amazon, which reportedly paid $40 million for the rights to the film. The poor performance has sparked a trend on social media platform X, where users began looking up available theater seats in their areas to share similar observations.
International Performance Equally Disappointing
The documentary's struggles were not confined to the United States. Internationally, the film also performed poorly. Journalist Jack Quann found that only 13 tickets had been sold across two theaters in Dublin, Ireland. In Toronto, Canada's largest theater, no tickets were sold for the upcoming Saturday screening, as reported by a Canadian user under the handle @WannaBeCritic88.
However, there was at least one exception: a New Yorker purchased a ticket for a screening in Staten Island, indicating minimal but not entirely zero interest in certain locales. Despite this isolated case, the overall picture remains bleak for the documentary, with empty theaters and low ticket sales dominating the narrative.
Implications for Amazon and Future Projects
The significant gap between the $40 million investment by Amazon and the projected low earnings underscores the risks involved in high-profile documentary productions. This situation may influence how streaming platforms and studios approach similar projects in the future, particularly those centered on polarizing political figures.
As discussions continue online, the "Melania" documentary serves as a case study in the challenges of marketing and audience engagement in today's competitive entertainment landscape. The combination of paid audience offers, viral social media reactions, and international disinterest paints a comprehensive picture of a film struggling to find its footing despite initial hype.
