UPDATE: Just hours before the highly anticipated release of Melania Trump’s documentary, a Hollywood insider has dismissed the film as a “farce,” raising serious questions about its commercial viability. The film, titled “Melania,” premiered at the rebranded Trump Kennedy Center on Thursday evening, attended by former President Donald Trump and the former First Lady.
Entertainment expert Segun Oduolowu spoke on “CNN This Morning,” stating that early indicators suggest the documentary could face a brutal reception from both audiences and critics. “The money is what you have to follow,” he noted, highlighting the unprecedented $40 million price tag Amazon MGM Studios paid for the documentary, along with an additional $35 million spent on advertising. “No one in Hollywood does that kind of math.”
Oduolowu pointed out that typical documentaries are sold for between $250,000 to $750,000, making the financial backing of “Melania” highly suspect. He emphasized the unusual nature of the deal, suggesting it “screams payoff” due to the high-profile subject matter.
Social media has been buzzing with reports of poor ticket sales leading up to the film’s debut, with Oduolowu predicting minimal box office returns. “It’s not going to make money,” he stated, adding, “It already made money for the people that are involved.” He estimates Melania Trump has already pocketed between $27 million and $28 million from the deal, though he believes the film was never intended to generate significant box office revenue.
Oduolowu described the documentary’s premise as misleading, noting that it centers on Melania Trump’s family’s return to the White House—which he argues is a far-fetched narrative, given that their son Barron Trump is currently a sophomore in college. “What is she, packing boxes?” he questioned, underscoring the absurdity of the storyline.
As the film streams on Amazon, Oduolowu warns that the platform’s “propaganda machine” may continue to promote it, despite the growing skepticism surrounding its content.
With the film set to launch amid such controversy, all eyes will be on the audience’s reaction and the critical reviews that follow. The next few days will be crucial in determining whether “Melania” can overcome these early challenges or if it will fade into obscurity as a cinematic misstep.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story and the fallout from the film’s release.
