The Melania documentary has failed to draw crowds in London with empty screenings ahead of its global launch despite huge backing from Amazon MGM.
London: The documentary “Melania”, which follows First Lady Melania Trump in the 20 days before Donald Trump’s second inauguration, has struggled to attract audiences in the United Kingdom with what has turned into an unexpectedly quiet start in London. Ahead of its highly anticipated premiere, none of the 28 scheduled screenings at Vue cinemas across the city have drawn audiences. Ticket sales have been extremely low leaving theatre seats largely empty, even as the documentary prepares for its wider global release.
The film comes with big names behind it and a big budget to match. Produced by Melania’s advisor Marc Beckman and backed by a $40 million deal with Amazon MGM, the documentary was meant to offer close‑up access to the First Lady, showcasing both her personal time and her official duties during an intense period in American politics. The idea was to give viewers something fresh and intimate, with moments that rarely make it into the public eye. Instead, the response in London has so far been quiet, leaving industry insiders and viewers surprised.
The documentary’s US premiere is scheduled for Friday at the Kennedy Center, and both Donald and Melania Trump are expected to attend. While the film’s backers remain optimistic about its performance elsewhere, the UK reaction has raised questions about audience appetite for political documentaries tied to polarising figures. Some commentators say that with so much content available on streaming platforms and online, audiences may be waiting to watch on demand instead of heading to cinema showings.
Critics and viewers who have commented online are split. Some say the UK market may not have the same pull for a film focused on an American First Lady. Others feel that political fatigue and shifting interests mean that even well‑produced documentaries face a tough crowd.
Despite the underwhelming start in London, the producers are moving ahead with the global rollout. All eyes will now be on how the film performs in the United States when it opens there later this week. Whether the documentary finds its audience remains to be seen but the empty seats in London are already making headlines.
