After a starry, if questionably timed, screening at the White House, first lady Melania Trump’s documentary is set to arrive in theaters this Friday amid a flurry of speculation ― and criticism.
Amazon MGM Studios reportedly paid $40 million in 2025 for the distribution rights to “Melania: Twenty Days to History,” outbidding both Disney and Paramount. The first lady herself is an executive producer on the film, and is believed to have pocketed $28 million from the deal, which includes a three-part follow-up docuseries. Both the film and the series follow her during the 20 days leading up to her husband President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.
Though the $40 million figure already raised eyebrows, Puck’s Matthew Belloni reported last week that Amazon is spending an additional $35 million to promote the film when it opens in about 1,400 or 1,500 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, as well as an undisclosed number of theaters in 27 countries around the world.
President Donald Trump on Monday declared “Melania” a “MUST WATCH” on his Truth Social platform, before urging his followers: “Get your tickets today — Selling out, FAST!”
Still, such a high-profile campaign for a documentary is unusual, and though reviews of “Melania” have not yet emerged, critics have already questioned whether the film will turn a profit amid reports of “soft” ticket sales on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Appearing on Fox Business on Monday to promote the film, Melania Trump’s agent and senior adviser Marc Beckman explained the impetus behind the rollout.
“The reason we’re doing this is because Melania had this idea of creating a highly cinematic, gorgeous, highly stylized film appropriate for theaters,” he said. “The visuals are beautiful, the sonic experience is first-class.”
Another point of contention is the involvement of director Brett Ratner, whose credits include “X-Men: The Last Stand” and the “Rush Hour” franchise. In 2017, Ratner was hit with allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct from at least six women, including actors Natasha Henstridge and Olivia Munn.
Though Ratner denied the claims, he became a persona non grata in Hollywood ― that is, until Beckman reached out with an offer to direct “Melania.”
Beckman, whose agency previously hired Ratner for a Jordache jeans campaign, defended the filmmaker’s “massive talent” in a Monday interview with the Los Angeles Times, but did not address any of the accusations.
“He really understands not just how to create something that’s gorgeous, but also how to reach the passions and emotions of his audience,” he told the outlet.
Still, not everyone is clamoring for Ratner to make a comeback. After Apple CEO Tim Cook posed for a photo with Ratner at last weekend’s “Melania” screening at the White House, calls to boycott Apple began circulating online. Meanwhile, a Rolling Stone report published Monday cited anonymous members of the “Melania” production team who described the vibe on-set as “highly disorganized, very chaotic.”
“I feel a little bit uncomfortable with the propaganda element of this,” one person told the outlet. “But Brett Ratner was the worst part of working on this project.”
Watch the trailer for “Melania: Twenty Days to History” below.