Controversial documentary about Trump’s wife Melania surprises at the box office

'Melania', a documentary about the current wife of the United States President Donald Trump, Melania Trump. And before its release, there was doubt, ridicule and predictions of failure surrounding the documentary. Many assumed that 'Melania', a documentary about Donald Trump's wife Melania Trump, would fail at the box office. But after its release, the film seems to have started writing the opposite story. This controversial documentary has started its journey with a stronger position than expected at the North American box office.

Initial estimates say that the documentary can earn more than $ 8 million in its first week after its release on Friday (January 30). If this momentum continues, there is a possibility that 'Melania' will rise to third place in the box office list, which very few people imagined before.

The premiere of 'Melania' was held in Washington, DC on Friday night. President Donald Trump himself was present there. Exhibitors said that since this premiere, ticket sales have gained new momentum. According to box office forecasts, two new movies, 'Send Help' and 'Iron Lung' starring YouTuber Mark Fischbach, could top the weekend. As a result, Jason Statham's new action movie 'Shelter' could fall behind. If such a result is achieved, it will undoubtedly be a big surprise for box office analysts.

However, to understand 'Melania', it is important to know not only the income, but also the context behind it. It was directed by controversial director Brett Ratner, who is trying to return to Hollywood after a long time with this documentary. And Amazon MGM Studios spent $ 40 million to buy the rights to the documentary, making it the most expensive documentary in history.

Amazon did not stop at production costs. Another $ 35 million was spent on global marketing and promotion. Of this, about $ 15 million was spent in the United States. Usually, such a huge promotion budget is rare for documentaries. In the past, only films like Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" have shown this exception.

Initially, the documentary was expected to earn a maximum of $5 million from 1,778 theaters. Even as images of slow ticket sales spread on social media, many theater owners lowered their forecasts to $2 to $4 million. But things started to change on Friday afternoon. According to recent estimates, almost all major studios now see "Melania" on the path to $8 to $9 million.

There is no denying that political propaganda plays a role behind the documentary. Donald Trump himself is urging his supporters to watch the documentary. In addition, grassroots campaigns by conservative groups are helping to attract audiences, especially in Republican-leaning states. However, the documentary is not getting any relief from critics. The reviews published in the mainstream media are quite harsh and negative. But according to box office analysts, Trump supporters see these criticisms as "left-wing media bias," which is actually increasing viewer interest.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter