Washington, United States. Amazon MGM Studios held a premiere for “Melania,” a big-budget documentary about first lady Melania Trump, as tensions remained high in Minneapolis and talk of a possible U.S. military strike on Iran loomed.
Budget, licensing and release plans
The movie, “Melania,” was financed at $75 million by Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million to license the film and a related docuseries scheduled to be released later this year on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service.
The first lady is one of the producers of the film, which documents the 20 days leading up to Trump’s 2025 inauguration and the family’s return to the White House.
Promotion and international availability
The studio spent another $35 million promoting and distributing the movie, which will be available in about 25 territories outside North America, according to a person familiar with the matter. Promotional ads were visible this week in locations including London’s Piccadilly Circus.
Responses to claims of seeking influence
Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos also contributed to President Donald Trump’s inaugural fund earlier this year.
Amazon and the film’s director, Brett Ratner, rejected suggestions that the studio bought and promoted the film to curry favor with the administration. “It wasn’t about getting rich,” Ratner told reporters at Thursday’s premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington. “I think the Trumps are wealthy and successful enough,” said Ratner, whose credits include directing the “Rush Hour” film series with Jackie Chan.
Asked at the event if the Amazon film deal was to curry favor with him and the White House, Trump said that was fake news. “I’m not involved, and it was done with my wife.”
A spokesperson for Amazon told Reuters, “We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only – because we think customers are going to love it.”
Content and access
The film offers what is described as rare access to the first lady, who has kept a low public profile during her husband’s second term.
The trailer opens on Inauguration Day in January 2025, showing her wearing a navy wide-brimmed hat for the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. It also depicts her as an adviser to the president, including a scene in which she encourages him to emphasize “peacemaker and unifier” in his inaugural address.
What do you think about major studios funding and promoting documentaries featuring political figures?