Hustler Words – Amazon’s ambitious foray into high-profile documentary filmmaking appears to have hit a significant snag, as its much-discussed "Melania" feature experienced a sharp decline in theatrical performance during its second weekend. Following an unexpectedly strong debut, the film’s box office receipts plummeted, raising questions about the tech giant’s substantial investment in the project.
The documentary, centered on former First Lady Melania Trump, saw its earnings drop by a staggering 67% to an estimated $2.37 million in its sophomore weekend. This precipitous fall brings its cumulative domestic gross to a modest $13.5 million. With Amazon having reportedly shelled out $40 million for acquisition rights and an additional $35 million for marketing, the film’s total expenditure stands at a formidable $75 million. Industry analysts now widely consider it highly improbable that "Melania" will recoup its costs through theatrical distribution alone.
While Super Bowl weekend typically sees a dip in cinema attendance, "Melania"’s performance was notably weaker compared to its peers. The weekend’s top earner, "Send Help," for instance, experienced a more moderate 47% decline. "Melania" itself tumbled from a respectable third place in its opening weekend to a distant ninth position on the box office charts, signaling a significant loss of momentum.
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The hefty price tag associated with "Melania" had already drawn internal scrutiny even before its release. A former Amazon film executive openly questioned the rationale behind such an exorbitant investment, speculating whether it was driven by motives beyond pure cinematic merit, such as "currying favor" with the previous presidential administration or even constituting "an outright bribe." This perspective adds a layer of corporate governance and strategic intent to the financial discussion.
In what appeared to be a preemptive move to manage the narrative surrounding the film’s underperformance, Kevin Wilson, Amazon’s head of domestic theatrical distribution, issued a statement. He emphasized that "theatrical and streaming represent two distinct value creating moments that amplify the film’s overall impact." This suggests Amazon may be banking on its streaming platform, Prime Video, to eventually justify the investment, shifting the focus from pure box office returns to broader content ecosystem value.
Adding to the intrigue is the stark contrast in critical versus audience reception. Professional critics largely panned "Melania," resulting in universally negative reviews. Conversely, the documentary boasts an exceptionally high 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a figure so unusually positive that the review aggregation site felt compelled to release a statement confirming the authenticity of the rating. This divergence highlights a potential disconnect between critical consensus and public sentiment, or perhaps a highly engaged, niche audience.
The "Melania" documentary’s rocky theatrical run presents a compelling case study for Amazon’s evolving strategy in the competitive media landscape. As a technology giant increasingly investing in original content, the financial and reputational implications of such high-stakes projects are under intense observation. Whether its eventual performance on Prime Video can salvage the substantial initial outlay remains to be seen, but the early box office figures certainly cast a shadow over this particular cinematic venture.
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