‘Melania’ Film Debuts at a Low Ebb for Documentaries in Theaters

A billboard in Madrid for “Melania,” the documentary about First Lady Melania Trump.Photographer: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

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January 26, 2026 at 5:52 PM UTC

President Donald Trump can command the world’s attention with a single post on social media. Yet a new documentary film about First Lady Melania Trump is struggling to fill theaters.

Boxoffice.com, a market researcher, projects $1 million to $2 million in opening weekend ticket sales for Melania. Ticketing websites show plenty of seats available for the Jan. 30 debut and the days ahead. NRG, another forecaster, sees about $5 million, according to the news site Puck.