Melania did better at the box office than some prognosticators expected. Now, one industry expert is claiming ticket sales have been intentionally bolstered through possibly nefarious means.
Amazon MGM’s $75 million documentary about the first lady made $7 million on its opening weekend, eliciting both gloating headlines and skepticism. Many have already touted Melania, which traces the first lady’s activities in the days leading up to her husband’s 2025 inauguration, as a success.
But according to box-office expert and former IndieWire Editor Tom Brueggemann, there are signs of “fake ticket sales” in order to inflate the earnings associated with the documentary. He raised the possibility that tickets were bought in bulk and handed out to audiences—or not handed out at all.
These allegations were made in Brueggemann’s Substack and reported on by Puck writer Matthew Belloni in his newsletter about Hollywood and power.
Belloni says that Amazon and cinema groups AMC and Regal told him that they “did not experience unusual block purchases of tickets" for the film. “The theater chains might not necessarily know, of course,” Belloni reported. “And veteran box office tracker Tom Brueggemann noted on his Substack that ‘industry sources say there were signs that blocks of tickets were purchased for the weekend, then distributed to senior citizen homes, Republican activists, other interested parties for free to help boost audiences.’"
Brueggemann dissected box-office sales for Melania, noting an uptick in ticket purchases last Wednesday, two days before the film was set to release in theaters. Prior to its release, Melania Trump’s project was expected to perform abysmally in cinemas worldwide.
According to Brueggemann, there was “some outside group ticket buying” that helped elevate the film’s performance. He caveated that the “documentation” on these claims is “sketchy.”
“But industry sources say there were signs that blocs of tickets were purchased for the weekend, then distributed to senior citizen homes, Republican activists, other interested parties for free to help boost audiences,” he continued, adding that we may “never know.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Brueggemann, Amazon, and Melania Trump’s representatives for comment.
The claims follow a viral Craigslist ad offering free tickets and $50 to watch the Melania documentary at any theater in Boston. “Must remain in seats for entirety of film,” read the ad, posted on Jan. 28.
After gaining traction and backlash on social media, the listing was removed.
The anonymous creators behind the proposition updated the live Craigslist page, explaining (in what appeared to be trolling satire), “We had an incredible response to this offer and were excited to provide true American Patriots the opportunity to attend the best documentary ever created while providing some much-needed relief for Biden’s economy. However, due to widespread coverage and backlash surrounding this offer in the fake news media, counsel has advised us that proceeding would run afoul of campaign finance laws. Considering the funding of the film by Amazon, we were shocked to hear this, but cannot take the risk.”
The update also included a note saying, “On the bright side, this incredible film is now SOLD OUT everywhere, with box office success like no one has EVER seen.”
Another move to push ticket sales reportedly came from the National Faith Advisory Board, a faith coalition led by Trump advisor Paula White-Cain. The coalition allegedly sent emails promoting Melania and encouraging bulk sales for the film, according to an investigation by Meidas News. The board included a link to purchase individual tickets, but “a group of tickets” and “private screenings” were additionally offered, the publication reported.
Amazon MGM Studios’ chief of domestic distribution, Kevin Wilson, told The Hollywood Reporter that Melania saw a “strong start and positive audience response” and that early box office sales “exceeded our expectations.” The film’s sales have made it the best opening for a non-musical documentary in the last decade.
The film outperformed expectations during its opening weekend, drawing in a primary audience of older white women, as noted by NPR. The audience was 75% white, 70% women, and 72% aged 55 and over. Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, and West Palm Beach were hotspots for the documentary.
The reported “success” of Melania comes amid a flurry of negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a critics’ score of 6%, while boasting a score of “Overwhelming Dislike” on Metacritic. And with a total budget of $75 million (including $35 million for marketing), it is still a long way from recouping its cost.
