In a weekend overshadowed by the Super Bowl, the Melania Trump documentary experienced a staggering decline in ticket sales, signalling a potential flop for Amazon MGM. Despite a strategic expansion into more theatres, the film plummeted 67% from its initial performance, raising questions about its future viability in cinemas.
A Quiet Weekend for Film
As the NFL Championship drew millions of viewers, cinemas across North America saw a significant drop in attendance. Traditionally, Super Bowl weekend ranks among the least active periods for moviegoers, and this year was no exception. Hollywood largely pivoted to promoting upcoming blockbusters during the big game, opting to unveil high-profile trailers for anticipated releases, including Disney’s Mandalorian and Grogu, Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, and Universal’s Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
In this context, the survival thriller *Send Help*, directed by Sam Raimi, emerged as the weekend’s top earner, raking in $10 million in its second weekend and bringing its global total to an impressive $53.7 million. Meanwhile, Disney’s animated feature *Zootopia 2* continued to perform remarkably well, surpassing $1.8 billion worldwide after eleven weeks in theatres.
Melania’s Disappointing Second Weekend
The documentary *Melania*, which focuses on the life of the former First Lady, faced a significant downturn despite adding 300 theatres to its showing. It garnered only $2.4 million, marking a worrying 67% drop from its much-anticipated debut. This rapid decline places the film in a precarious position, especially given its hefty production and marketing costs, estimated at $75 million. To date, *Melania* has accumulated $13.4 million domestically, with international figures yet to be disclosed but expected to disappoint.
Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM’s head of domestic distribution, attempted to frame the film’s box office performance positively, suggesting it validates their comprehensive distribution strategy. He stated, “This is a critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy, building awareness, engagement, and providing momentum ahead of the film’s eventual debut on Prime Video.” However, late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel have not held back in critiquing the documentary’s lacklustre sales, with Kimmel labelling them a “rigged outcome.”
Other Notable Releases
Meanwhile, the romantic comedy *Solo Mio*, set in Italy and spearheaded by Kevin James, made a strong debut with $7.2 million, marking a significant success for Christian-oriented Angel Studios. The K-pop concert film *Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience* opened with $5.6 million, while the indie adaptation *Dracula*, directed by Luc Besson, achieved a respectable $4.5 million.
One of the weekend’s standout performances came from the low-budget indie *Iron Lung*, which has been self-financed and distributed by YouTube filmmaker Markiplier (real name Mark Fischbach). The film generated $6.2 million in its second weekend alone, bringing its total to $31.2 million against a production budget of just $3 million.
Box Office Rankings
As the final domestic figures come in, here are the top ten films by estimated ticket sales from Friday to Sunday, according to Comscore:
1. *Send Help* – $10 million
2. *Solo Mio* – $7.2 million
3. *Iron Lung* – $6 million
4. *Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience* – $5.6 million
5. *Dracula* – $4.5 million
6. *Zootopia 2* – $4 million
7. *Avatar: Fire and Ash* – $3.5 million
8. *The Strangers: Chapter 3* – $3.5 million
9. *Shelter* – $2.4 million
10. *Melania* – $2.4 million
Why it Matters
The disappointing performance of the *Melania* documentary highlights not just the challenges facing politically charged films in a crowded marketplace, but also the shifting dynamics of audience engagement during major sporting events. As studios navigate these changing tides, the results of this weekend could serve as a cautionary tale for future projects that attempt to capture the attention of a distracted public. With the landscape of film distribution evolving, it remains to be seen how Amazon MGM will adapt its strategy as the film makes its eventual transition to streaming.
