The First Lady herself was actively involved in the production of her own film.Image: keystone
Around 70 million euros were spent on the documentation about the First Lady. But there is already little interest in the film in Great Britain.
Jan 28, 2026, 8:52 p.mJan 28, 2026, 8:52 p.m
Robin Schmidt / t-online
Almost a year after Donald Trump’s second inauguration as US President, a documentary is being released about the time shortly before Trump’s re-installation. The film is titled “Melania” and documents the 20 days before Trump’s return to power in January 2025.
It was shown at the White House last Saturday and the official premiere will take place on Thursday at the Kennedy Center in Washington. “Melania” opens in US cinemas nationwide on January 30th. It will also be shown in some German cinemas.
Hardly any interest in British cinemas
However, initial feedback from British cinemas currently shows little interest. So far, only a single ticket has been sold at a screening in the London district of Islington, while most seats in other cinemas remain empty, reports “The Guardian”.
At the time of reporting, all seats for a total of 28 screenings were still available in cinemas in Blackburn, Castleford and Hamilton. Things are a little better in Wandsworth, where at least four tickets were sold, while in Broughton five seats in the back row were booked.
The makers of the film, Amazon MGM Studios, have an advertising budget of around 30 million at their disposal. The production also acquired the rights to the documentary for 40 million dollars (around 33 million euros).
For director Brett Ratner, known for the “Rush Hour” film series, it is the first project since 2017, when he was confronted with several allegations of sexual misconduct. Ratner denied all allegations and no charges were filed.
Donald Trump praised the film as a “must see”.
Melania Trump is involved in the project as an executive producer. Marc Beckman, Donald Trump’s advisor and agent, emphasized her extensive involvement: “She was involved in production, post-production and the entire advertising campaign.” Beckman added: “She created the trailer, conceived the cliffhanger and chose the music.”
Donald Trump promoted the film on Instagram and Truth Social as a “must see” and claimed tickets would “sell quickly.” However, the reality in British cinemas paints a different picture.
Trump dances with Melania
Video: watson/x