‘Melania’ Disappears From the Box Office After Just 4 Weeks: The Documentary’s Total Earnings Revealed

While there has been much debate over whether Melania was a film project that really needed to happen, the public’s lack of box office interest can no longer be debated. The $40 million documentary only premiered back in late January, but it’s already quietly disappeared from theaters. Here is what that means for the film’s overall success.

‘Melania’ disappears from the box office as quickly as it came

Melania, a documentary about the lead-up to the first lady’s return to office, opened at the Box Office on January 30, amidst much marketing, debate, and controversy. While initial industry insight suggested the documentary would be a flop at the office, it actually earned more than expected. Initial reports indicated the offering’s opening weekend numbers would hover below $5 million. Opening weekend drew larger-than-expected crowds of older, ultra-conservative moviegoers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie earned around $8 million during its first weekend at the box office.

The initial hype wore off quickly. Its second weekend drew significantly smaller audiences, with a drop of nearly 70%. By its fourth week in theaters, the documentary had fallen completely off the charts and disappeared shortly thereafter. While the documentary wasn’t the flop it was expected to be, critics still slammed it, and there certainly weren’t waves of people desperate to see it.

How much did the documentary earn?

While Melania had a stronger domestic showing than initially anticipated, it still failed to make back the money spent on it. According to the New York Times, the documentary earned just over $16 million domestically. It faired exponentially worse internationally, earning just $187,000 at the box office before quietly disappearing from screens.  

Its total revenue fell significantly short of what was spent on the flick. Melania cost an estimated $40 million to make and acquire. An additional $35 million was spent marketing the documentary that critics insist was, at best, a vanity project. In total, around $75 million was invested in the documentary, which yielded far less than $20 million at the box office. There is no further need for debate; the project was a flop, despite reviews and fans’ best efforts.