In a shocking turn of events, the much-maligned documentary on former First Lady Melania Trump has defied expectations and opened to a staggering $8 million at the box office this weekend. What this really means is that the film, titled simply "Melania," has managed to become the best-performing documentary of the last decade, surpassing even the $5 million debut of the 2023 hit "After Death."
The $40 million film, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, was widely expected to flop given the intense scrutiny and criticism it faced in the lead-up to its release. However, it seems that Melania's loyal fanbase, particularly older white women, turned out in droves to support the project, which promises an "intimate, unfiltered look" at the former model's life in the 20 days leading up to her husband's second inauguration.
A Surprise Hit
The bigger picture here is that the success of "Melania" flies in the face of conventional wisdom about the box office appeal of political documentaries. As the BBC reports, most such films struggle to find a mainstream audience, with even high-profile releases like Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 11/9" failing to break out.
But Melania Trump, it seems, has a unique draw that transcends partisan divides. NPR notes that the film's audience is skewing heavily towards older white women, a demographic that has long been a core part of the Trump base.
Implications for the Industry
The success of "Melania" could have significant implications for the documentary genre and the film industry as a whole. It demonstrates that there is a sizable audience out there for politically-charged films, even if they come from a controversial figure like the former First Lady.
This could embolden other conservative-leaning filmmakers to invest in similar projects, potentially leading to a new wave of politically-driven documentaries hitting theaters. And with the 2028 presidential election on the horizon, it's possible that we could see more high-profile political docs vying for the attention of moviegoers.
Only time will tell how the industry will respond to the surprise triumph of "Melania." But for now, it's clear that the former First Lady has managed to pull off a box office coup that few could have predicted.