LOS ANGELES, Feb 1:  Melania, the new documentary chronicling First Lady Melania Trump in the 20 days leading up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, opened to stronger-than-expected box office results, grossing $8.1 million during its debut weekend, according to industry reports.

The film, directed by Rush Hour director Brett Ratner and acquired by Amazon for $40 million with an additional $35 million spent on marketing, outperformed initial projections of $3 million to $5 million and ranked third at the weekend box office behind Send Help and Iron Lung, surpassing Jason Statham’s Shelter.

The Hollywood Reporter highlighted that the film’s audience was heavily skewed toward older conservatives, particularly women over 55, who made up 72 percent of opening-day viewers, with 78 percent of all ticket buyers in that age group. Despite poor critical reception — Rotten Tomatoes shows an 11 percent approval rating — audience feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Deadline reported an A CinemaScore, five stars on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak, and 89 percent of viewers indicating they would “definitely recommend” the documentary.

Variety described the $8.1 million haul as a “significant uptick from initial projections,” while The New York Times noted it represents “the best start for a documentary (excluding concert films) in 14 years.”

The documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at Melania Trump during the final days of the 2024 campaign, portraying her public and private engagements. Analysts say the strong audience response, despite negative critical reviews, may reflect a concentrated appeal to her core supporters.

Given the film’s substantial production and marketing budget, a sequel remains uncertain, despite the unexpectedly strong opening.