"Brett Ratner's all-access glimpse at the first lady in the days leading up to the 2025 inauguration of President Donald Trump took in $7 million at the box office this weekend despite dismal reviews (it currently holds a 10% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes). The $7 million take is the biggest opening for a non-concert, non-fiction movie in a decade."
"However, Amazon bought 'Melania' for $40 million ($28 million of which was pocketed by the first lady, according to The Wall Street Journal) and spent an additional $35 million on marketing the film, meaning it's $75 million in the hole and could face a long road to profitability. This is an astronomical amount, according to veteran documentary film producers and industry insiders, who told Business Insider that documentaries released by streamers typically get between about $500,000 and $2 million on marketing to spend off-platform."
The documentary opened to a $7 million box-office weekend, the largest opening for a non-concert, non-fiction film in a decade. Reviews were poor, with a 10% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million to acquire the film and spent $35 million on marketing, placing the studio $75 million below break-even. Comparable documentaries have sold for much less and earned far smaller theatrical returns. Industry norms for streamer-distributed documentary marketing typically range from $500,000 to $2 million, excluding award-season contenders, which receive tens of millions. The film faces a long road to profitability.
Read at Business Insider
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