1. UK Box Office Performance — First Weekend
Melania, the high‑profile documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump, debuted at No. 29 on the UK box office chart in its first weekend of release. It grossed about £32,974 from 155 cinemas, averaging around £212 per screen — considered very modest given its wide release. (The Guardian)
- It was the ninth highest‑ranking new release among a full field of films in cinemas that weekend. (The Guardian)
- Many screenings were sparsely attended, with some nearly empty, though a few drew journalists or curious viewers. (AOL UK)
Context: For a documentary with a large release footprint, these figures suggest the film struggled to draw broad audiences in the UK compared with typical mainstream releases. (AOL UK)
2. Comparison With Expectations & Other Markets
UK vs US
In the United States and Canada, Melania had a very different debut — reportedly earning around $7 million in its opening weekend and ranking among the strongest documentary openings in years. (Forbes)
By contrast, its UK performance was relatively low, indicating significantly less interest or awareness among UK cinema audiences. (AOL)
Other Films
In the same UK weekend, mainstream or genre films like certain horror titles earned substantially more — for example a self‑financed horror movie outperformed Melania by a large margin. (Yahoo News)
3. Why the UK Results Were Weak
Industry and exhibitor comments highlight several reasons:
- Soft ticket sales nationwide: Exhibitor executives noted that ticket sales were “soft” and public interest appeared limited. (Inquisitr News)
- Sparse attendance: Multiple reports from cinema chains indicated that many showings, especially outside major cities, had very low audience numbers. (AOL UK)
- Controversial subject matter: Some commentators think that a political documentary centered on a polarising figure may not resonate widely with UK audiences. (Inferred from reporting on sparse attendance; not a value judgement.)
4. Audience & Public Reaction
Mixed reactions are emerging around the film’s performance:
- Some UK viewers online expressed surprise even that the film got a theatrical release, given limited local interest in the subject. (Reddit)
- Anecdotal reports from cinema–goers suggest very low bookings in cities like Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow — with several showings reportedly selling few or even zero tickets. (Reddit)
These social commentary threads point to a disconnect between the film’s high‑budget marketing push and the actual audience turnout on the ground in the UK.
5. Industry & Market Commentary
The UK results show that international performance can differ drastically from domestic (US) figures, especially for politically themed documentaries. (AOL)
Analysts note that while Melania had one of the more notable documentary launches in the U.S. in years, its performance overseas — especially in the UK and Italy — was underwhelming compared to global marketing investment. (AOL)
The UK chart placement — No. 29 — is a modest start that reflects limited commercial traction as a theatrical release, despite broad distribution. (The Guardian)
Summary — What You Need to Know
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Film | Melania, documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump |
| UK Box Office Debut | No. 29 on opening weekend |
| Gross | ~£32,974 from 155 cinemas |
| Per‑Screen Average | ~£212 |
| Audience Interest | Widely reported as sparse attendance |
| Context | Much lower impact in UK than in the US; modest result compared with other releases |
Here’s a detailed breakdown with case studies and commentary on the UK box office debut of Melania — the much‑discussed Amazon/MGM documentary about former US First Lady Melania Trump — following its release in UK cinemas.
Case Study 1 — UK Box Office Debut: No. 29
Performance:
Melania debuted at number 29 on the UK box office chart during its first weekend of full release. It grossed approximately £32,974 across 155 cinemas — an average of about £213 per screen. That’s a fairly modest result for such a wide documentary release. (The Guardian)
Attendance:
Reports indicated many screenings were sparsely attended, with some playing to near‑empty theaters. Certain showings saw only a handful of people, often journalists or reviewers. (AOL UK)
Context:
Though modest in earnings, Melania was still among the top ten new releases in its opening UK weekend — partly because of the large number of films concurrently in release. (The Guardian)
Comment:
This contrasts starkly with its much stronger US opening performance — in North America it grossed around $7 million and ranked high on the US documentary chart — making it one of the biggest documentary openings in recent years. (Forbes)
Case Study 2 — Sparse Screenings and Sales
Ticket Sales Dynamics:
Before and after its UK release, exhibitors described sales as “soft,” with many cinemas selling few tickets even on opening day. Several venues had large rooms with very low occupancy, and some screenings were reportedly nearly empty. (AOL UK)
Media Coverage:
Journalists at some screenings observed attendance so low that non‑industry guests were easy to count on one hand, especially at major cinema locations. (AOL UK)
Market Comparison:
At the same time in UK cinemas, genre films such as independent horror and mainstream features were outperforming Melania significantly, showing that the documentary struggled to compete with even mid‑tier entertainment titles. (AOL UK)
Audience & Public Commentary
Online Reaction:
Social comments on forums like Reddit show a sceptical public response in the UK: many users expressed surprise that the film received a theatrical release at all and joked about poor attendance numbers. (Reddit)
Some posts highlighted examples of screenings with only a handful of viewers, contrasting Melania’s turnout with other films—suggesting UK audiences simply weren’t compelled by the subject. (Reddit)
Cultural Disconnect:
Commenters noted that political figures like Melania Trump have much less cultural relevance in the UK compared with the US, possibly dampening interest. (Reddit)
Critical & Industry Commentary
Critical Reception:
Critics have been overwhelmingly negative toward Melania. In the UK and internationally, the film received low critic scores — on major review aggregators it sits in the low teens or single digits. (Info Nasional – UK)
One major UK review outlet even corrected its rating to zero stars, branding it unfavorably compared with other documentaries and entertainment films. (The Daily Beast)
Audience vs Critic Divide:
Some review platforms show Melania with high audience approval among certain viewers, though this is counterbalanced by widespread critique and online review bombing. (Info Nasional – UK)
Box Office Strategy Commentary:
Industry observers note that documentaries typically do not draw blockbuster audiences, but Melania’s international push and wide release made its UK placement more notable — and its lower ranking more striking considering the marketing spend. (AOL)
Interpretation & What This Means
Modest Performance vs Expectations:
- For a documentary with a high‑profile subject and large marketing budget, Melania’s UK debut was relatively subdued, especially compared with its US results. (AOL)
- The chart position (No. 29) reflects the combined effect of broad release but low turnout, suggesting limited mass appeal in the UK market. (The Guardian)
Cultural Resonance:
Commentators suggest the documentary’s political focus and specific subject matter may have had less resonance with UK cinema‑going audiences than in the US, where the Trump family’s media presence remains a bigger draw. (AOL)
Box Office Takeaways:
While the film’s UK performance isn’t disastrous when viewed purely numerically, it underperformed relative to its cost and international rollout ambitions — especially given the scale of its release and media attention. (AOL)
Summary — UK Box Office Case Studies & Commentary
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UK Chart Debut | No. 29 on opening weekend with ~£33 k gross. (The Guardian) |
| Screen Average | ~£212 per cinema — weak relative to expectations. (The Guardian) |
| Attendance | Sparse showings and near‑empty screenings reported. (AOL UK) |
| Public Reaction | Mixed online commentary, often sceptical. (Reddit) |
| Critical Response | Very low critic ratings; some UK reviews even corrected to zero stars. (The Daily Beast) |
| Comparison | Stronger US opening but underwhelming overseas performance. (AOL) |