US First Lady's Biopic Stumbles in UK Box Office Debut
Melania, the authorized documentary about Melania Trump starring Brett Ratner, opened at a modest No.29 on the UK box office chart during its first weekend of release. The film, which Amazon shelled out $40m for and another $35m to promote, played across 155 screens in the UK and Ireland, raking in £32,974, or an average of just £212.80 per site.
While this result may seem underwhelming at first glance, it's worth noting that it avoids a disaster – a fate many had predicted for this high-profile biopic. The film's extensive rollout is unprecedented in the UK documentary sector, where most films are limited to around 25 locations. By contrast, other recent documentaries have fared significantly better, with Prime Minister, a film about former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, taking in £33,000 over its first weekend and earning an impressive site average of £1,178.57 per screen.
Not all showings were similarly well-attended. Many screenings, including some at major cinemas like Vue Islington in London, seemed to struggle with empty seats or sparse audiences. However, there were instances where shows sold out entirely – a testament to the enduring interest in high-profile figures like Melania Trump.
Other films vied for top spots on the UK box office chart this weekend, including Chloé Zhao's Hamnet and Paul Feig's The Housemaid. At the top of the list was Zootropolis 2, which maintained its spot despite being over a decade into its initial release cycle. Further new releases like Shelter and Iron Lung rounded out the top five.
While international box office figures remain to be seen, the film's performance in the US – where it debuted at No.3 on the charts – suggests that it may yet break even. To do so, however, Ratner's film will need to rake in significantly more money than its current $7m tally.
The critical response has been scathing, with Melania scoring an unimpressive 10% average rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a paltry score of seven out of 100 on Metacritic. The Internet Movie Database ratings have also taken a hit, currently sitting at 1.3/10 based on over 22,000 votes – a new low for the site.
Melania, the authorized documentary about Melania Trump starring Brett Ratner, opened at a modest No.29 on the UK box office chart during its first weekend of release. The film, which Amazon shelled out $40m for and another $35m to promote, played across 155 screens in the UK and Ireland, raking in £32,974, or an average of just £212.80 per site.
While this result may seem underwhelming at first glance, it's worth noting that it avoids a disaster – a fate many had predicted for this high-profile biopic. The film's extensive rollout is unprecedented in the UK documentary sector, where most films are limited to around 25 locations. By contrast, other recent documentaries have fared significantly better, with Prime Minister, a film about former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, taking in £33,000 over its first weekend and earning an impressive site average of £1,178.57 per screen.
Not all showings were similarly well-attended. Many screenings, including some at major cinemas like Vue Islington in London, seemed to struggle with empty seats or sparse audiences. However, there were instances where shows sold out entirely – a testament to the enduring interest in high-profile figures like Melania Trump.
Other films vied for top spots on the UK box office chart this weekend, including Chloé Zhao's Hamnet and Paul Feig's The Housemaid. At the top of the list was Zootropolis 2, which maintained its spot despite being over a decade into its initial release cycle. Further new releases like Shelter and Iron Lung rounded out the top five.
While international box office figures remain to be seen, the film's performance in the US – where it debuted at No.3 on the charts – suggests that it may yet break even. To do so, however, Ratner's film will need to rake in significantly more money than its current $7m tally.
The critical response has been scathing, with Melania scoring an unimpressive 10% average rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a paltry score of seven out of 100 on Metacritic. The Internet Movie Database ratings have also taken a hit, currently sitting at 1.3/10 based on over 22,000 votes – a new low for the site.
so like, I gotta say, this biopic about Melania Trump was just expected to be a total dumpster fire anyway 
, right? And yeah, £32k in 155 screens isn't exactly a huge win, but at least it didn't completely bomb, you know? 
the fact that it played on like 25 less screens than most documentaries is kinda genius, like they just wanted to make sure nobody actually saw it 
. and those reviews? 
10% on Rotten Tomatoes? what even is that? i mean, i'm no expert, but if the internet's saying she's a total fashion disaster and a terrible First Lady... 
. The film industry is just a reflection of our collective values, and right now, they seem to prioritize spectacle over substance. 
. And omg the negative reviews are brutal, 10% on Rotten Tomatoes? 
. You’d think they could at least make it decent or something. Guess you can’t win 'em all though 
.
but it's still a decent start considering all the hype around it 
. Guess some folks are still curious about Melania's life 
. Can't say I'm surprised by the scathing reviews though 
. A biopic this big should've had more bite to it 
. And don't even get me started on the ratings 
. I guess you can say they really didn't get the Queen's endorsement 
... sorry not sorry 
.
£32k for 155 screens is like, what? i mean, i guess it's not all bad that it didn't bomb hard, but still $40m was a wild bet 
. Can you imagine the PR team's face when they found out? "Uh, we meant for this to be a major box office hit... not a laughingstock"