"It's cinematic" Betting agencies are banking on poor reviews and a flop at the box office for "Melania"

The presidential couple are delighted with the film "Melania", but the director is piling on the pounds. The odds are good with the betting agencies - that the film will flop with critics and audiences.

DPA

30.01.2026, 14:03

30.01.2026, 14:04

dpa

The documentary "Melania" about the return of US President Donald Trump's wife to the White House has celebrated its premiere in Washington.

"I want to show the audience my life, what it means to be a First Lady again, and (the) transition from private citizen back to the White House," said Melania Trump last night at the premiere of the film at the Kennedy Center. Viewers would be able to see how she goes about her business and charity commitments.

The film shows the 20 days leading up to her husband Donald Trump's return to the White House. The premiere at the facility, officially renamed The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, was attended by Melania Trump, the president, members of Congress and conservative commentators.

"It's cinematic"

"It's beautiful, it's emotional, it's cinematic and I'm very proud of it," the 55-year-old said of the film, which will be shown in more than 1,500 theaters in the US and around the world starting today. She made the film to show people what it means to be First Lady.

Donald Trump had already watched the almost two-hour movie at a private screening at the White House at the weekend and now said he thought it was really great. "It brings back a glamor that you don't see anymore," said Trump. "Our country could use a little bit of that, right?"

In a teaser scene for the movie, Melania Trump stands in the Capitol on Inauguration Day, waiting to be led into the rotunda for the ceremony. She turns her head, looks directly into the camera and says: "Here we go again."

Director dampens expectations

The film is another link between the Trumps and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has gone to great lengths to improve the once strained relationship with the president. The documentary was produced by AmazonMGM Studios and is said to have cost 75 million dollars. After the movie's release, it will be available exclusively on the streaming service Amazon Prime Video.

Melania Trump said that there had been a bidding process. Amazon's offer was the best "because they agreed to bring the film to cinemas". The extent to which she would be involved in the commercial success of the film remained open. Amazon would not comment on financial details.

Director Brett Ratner dampened expectations of a big audience success. "It's a documentary, and documentaries have not been big box office hits in the past," he told reporters on the way to the premiere.

Success not measured by revenue?

"You can't expect a documentary to be big in the cinemas." He would not measure success by box office takings. US presidents and first ladies generally refrain from pursuing external business ventures while in office to avoid potential conflicts of interest or ethical concerns.

However, the Trump couple is involved in numerous ventures selling everything from watches, perfumes and Bibles to jewelry, Christmas ornaments and digital collectibles.

Melania Trump's longtime advisor Marc Beckman pointed out that she was still a private person when Amazon announced the film in January 2025. As First Lady, she does not receive a salary. "So why should we restrict her?" he asked.

Betting agencies expect a flop

The film is director Ratner's first project since he was accused of sexual misconduct in the early days of the #MeToo debate. Ratner's lawyer has denied the allegations.

However, the director is not the only one to dampen expectations: as CNN reports, the film is not doing well with betting agencies either. According to the report, they see a 73 percent chance that the film will receive a rating of less than 20 percent on the specialist portal Rotten Tomatoes.

"At this point, the prevailing belief is that the reason the movie won't do well is the belief that the movie isn't that good," summarizes CNN statistician Harry Enten. "Melania" is expected to gross one to five million in its first week.