Cringe-worthy attempt to rescue Melania’s new film amid online jokes about empty theaters

After her memoir titled Melania proved to be a huge success, First Lady Melania Trump decided to venture into the world of film, announcing her decision to make a film about her life.

A week before her husband’s inauguration, she spoke to Fox, saying, “So I had an idea to make a movie, to make a film about my life. My life is incredible. It’s incredibly busy and I told my agent I have this idea so please go out and make a deal for me. We started the production in November and we are shooting right now. So it’s a day-to-day life. What I’m doing, what kind of responsibilities I have, people they don’t really know and they will see it.”

Amazon reportedly paid around $40 million to license the film from Melania’s production company, and the film, which her husband described as a “must-watch,” was set to be released on January 30 and shown across hundreds of screens nationwide.

However, despite Donald Trump urging the public to get their ticket today because they sell out FAST, the interest in Melania’s film turned out to be low and ticket sales have been struggling.

Express revealed that “not a single ticket has been sold for the 9.55pm viewing at the busiest movie theatre in the metro-Jacksonville area,” with the cinema’s website showing every seat being available.

It’s been the same case with Atlanta, with an online user reporting, “Zero sold in Atlanta. Opening night. Busy theater.” 

As it turns out, Melania’s documentary won’t be a smash hit in the UK either.

However, it seems the situation has shifted, but slightly. Journalist Rob Shuter says Republican clubs in conservative areas have quietly bought out screenings to prop up Melania’s documentary.

“This isn’t organic demand,” one insider told Rob Shuter’s Substack. “It’s about optics. Empty theaters look terrible.”

Not a single ticket sold for the opening night 9:55pm showing of Melania at the busiest movie theater in the metro-Jacksonville area. pic.twitter.com/NZz7T7PkwS

— Travis Akers 🇺🇸 (@travisakers) January 27, 2026

Sources told the journalist that some clubs are purchasing large blocks of seats, and in some cases entire screenings, with tickets even being given away for free or at steep discounts on GOP-affiliated websites. Even so, those efforts haven’t been enough to turn things around.

“They’re struggling to give the tickets away,” another source told Shuter. “Some screenings barely sell unless the party steps in.”

Another insider said, “It feels less like a movie night and more like a loyalty check.”

A Reddit user brought up the question about what happens when not a single ticket is bought for a film, wondering if they still play it or call it off.

One user replied, “When I worked at a theater they would play any movie that was on in the middle of the day but if it was the end of the night they’d let it go 15 minutes then shut er down. They would sometimes turn the lamp off on the projector to save teh bulb until someoen called up to the projectionist that the show was going on.”

A second added, “i worked at a cinema and what they did was start the movie and let it play for twenty minutes, so if anyone showed up to buy last-minute tickets they would still be able to see it. if no one came, they shut it off. on a related note, those were my favorite auditoriums to clean.”

On January 25, after an in-house screening at the White House, Melania took to X, writing, “MELANIA, the film A Historic Moment… I am deeply humbled to have been surrounded by an inspiring room of friends, family, and cultural iconoclasts at the White House last night.”

The First Lady added, “Each of these individuals each brought their unique vision to the world, making a lasting impression. Our personal stories endure time and serve as a reminder of our mutual obligation to one another. It was an honor to present my new film, MELANIA, ahead of its global launch.”

Before the release of her documentary, Melania explained the film follows the 20 days leading up to the Presidential Inauguration in January 2025.

“History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration. For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold—a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.”