NEW YORK (AP) — Promoted by President Donald Trump as “a must watch,” the Melania Trump documentary “Melania” debuted with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The release of “Melania” was unlike any seen before. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the rights, plus some $35 million to market it, making it the most expensive documentary ever. Directed by Brett Ratner, who had been exiled from Hollywood since 2017, the film about the first lady debuted in 1,778 theaters in the midst of Trump’s turbulent second term.
While the result would be a flop for most films with such high costs, “Melania” was a success by documentary standards. It’s the best opening weekend for a documentary, outside of concert films, in 14 years. Going into the weekend, estimates ranged from $3 million to $5 million.
But there was little to compare “Melania” to, given that presidential families typically eschew in-office memoir or documentary releases to avoid the appearance of capitalizing on the White House. The film chronicles Melania Trump over 20 days last January, leading up to Trump’s second inauguration.
On Thursday, Trump hosted a premiere of the film at the Kennedy Center, with attendees including Cabinet members and members of Congress. There, Ratner downplayed its box-office potential, noting: “You can’t expect a documentary to play in theaters.”
The No. 1 movie of the weekend was Sam Raimi’s “Send Help,” a critically acclaimed survival thriller starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. The Walt Disney Co. release debuted with $20 million. The film, with a $40 million budget, was an in-between kind of release for Raimi, whose hits have typically ranged from low-budget cult (“Army of Darkness”) to big-budget blockbuster (2002’s “Spider-Man”).
The microbudget sci-fi horror film “Iron Lung,” directed by YouTuber and filmmaker Markiplier, came in second with $17.9 million, far exceeding expectations. The Jason Statham action thriller “Shelter” debuted with $5.5 million.
But most of the curiosity was on how “Melania” would perform. A week earlier, the White House hosted a black-tie preview attended by Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy, Apple chief executive Tim Cook and former boxer Mike Tyson.
The film arrived in a week dominated by coverage of federal immigration tactics in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“Melania” didn’t screen in advance for critics, but reviews that rolled out Friday, once the film was in theaters, weren’t good. Xan Brooks of The Guardian compared the film to a “medieval tribute to placate the greedy king on his throne.” Owen Gleiberman of Variety called it a “cheese ball informercial of staggering inertia.” Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “To say that ‘Melania’ is a hagiography would be an insult to hagiographies.”
But among those who bought tickets over the weekend, the response was far more positive. “Melania” landed an “A” CinemaScore. Audiences were overwhelmingly 55 and older (72% of ticket buyers), female (72%) and white (75%). As expected, the movie played best in the South, with top states including Florida and Texas.
David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe called it “an excellent opening for a political documentary.”
“For any other film, with $75 million in costs and limited foreign potential, it would be a problem,” said Gross. “But this is a political investment, not a for-profit movie venture, and if it helps Amazon with a regulatory, taxation, tariff or other government issue, then it will pay back. $75 million is insignificant to Amazon.”
“Melania” is Ratner’s first film since he was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017. Multiple women, including the actor Olivia Munn, accused Ratner of sexual harassment and misconduct. Ratner has denied the allegations. Last fall, after Trump’s reported intervention, Paramount Pictures said it would distribute his “Rush Hour 4.”
“Melania,” which will stream on Prime Video following its theatrical run, was released globally. Shortly before its debut, South African distributor Filmfinity said it would no longer release it. The company said it changed course “based on recent developments.”
International ticket sales for “Melania” were expected to be minuscule.
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. “Send Help,” $20 million.
2. “Iron Lung,” $17.9 million.
3. “Melania,” $7 million.
4. “Zootopia 2,” $5.8 million.
5. “Shelter,” $5.5 million.
6. “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” $5.5 million.
7. “Mercy,” $4.7 million.
8. “The Housemaid,” $3.5 million.
9. “Marty Supreme,” $2.9 million.
10. “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” $1.5 million.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the premiere of her movie "Melania" at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the premiere of her movie "Melania" at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Take a stroll down The Embarcadero on San Francisco's spectacular waterfront to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for plentiful food options, people watching and souvenir shopping.
Travel farther outside the city for renowned wine tasting or a breathtaking drive along the coastline.
Fans coming to the Bay Area for the Super Bowl will have no shortage of options for great eats and outdoor adventure, all within a couple of hours of San Francisco.
Sure, the week centers around football — it's Patriots vs. Seahawks at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Feb. 8 — yet anyone visiting this week can seek out entertainment ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
Make sure to hit the Ferry Building on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday for one of the most famous farmers markets in the country, with both indoor and outdoor food and shopping options.
From world-renowned vineyards and wineries to the north in the Napa Valley region to spectacular ocean vistas to the south along 17-Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula providing views of picturesque Pebble Beach Golf Links, there's something for everybody. There is a fee for cars on 17-Mile Drive, while walking and biking are free. It can be foggy during the winter season.
Walking the Golden Gate Bridge is always a popular choice, but bring a windbreaker or light rain jacket just in case to combat the chill factor. For anyone eager to explore former prison Alcatraz, the tour leaving from iconic Pier 39 can fill up fast and should be booked in advance — especially for the weekends.
At Alcatraz, patrons can not only go inside the cells but hear audio of the voices of those formerly incarcerated at the iconic federal penitentiary that closed in 1963. You can decide whether to believe whether anyone might have ever escaped through the choppy bay water some 1 1/2 miles off San Francisco's shore.
A hike beneath the towering, old-growth coast redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument is less than an hour's drive away in Marin County, offering hiking and history in a treasured spot protected as a national monument since 1908. There, you can see the cross section of an old redwood showing its growth rings to better understand the tree's life cycles and how historical events affect them.
That's just one of many available outdoor activities to do all year long, and if you're ready to go a little farther, the Napa wine country is just more than an hour away.
Napa and Sonoma offer wine tasting and even an opportunity to see the lush landscape by riding the Napa Valley Wine Train.
Back in the city, a jaunt to the Presidio will provide access to some of San Francisco's deep history from the former Spanish military post, while Golden Gate Park offers opportunities for walking and fitness.
There also is the predominantly gay Castro District where visionary, politician, and civil and human rights leader Harvey Milk came to fame.
— Take a ferry ride from the Ferry Building in San Francisco to Oakland's Jack London Square waterfront neighborhood or go in the other direction to Sausalito for lunch — a chance to see some of the city's famous spots like Coit Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge from the water.
— Head straight for North Beach in San Francisco to find top-notch Italian food options, such as Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, where waiting is worth it. This area is also home to City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, a beloved spot founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1953 where readers, writers, artists and activists immediately gravitated.
— San Francisco's world-famous vintage cable cars are a fun way to travel up the steep city hills and a huge tourist attraction.
— Venture to the Mission District and Mission Street to discover some of the best burrito options in the city.
— If you're staying in the East Bay, Fentons Creamery in Oakland is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor with charm and generous scoops — but prepare to wait if you want a table. Ice cream can be purchased at the counter and taken to go.
— For anyone with teenagers wanting to take college tours, both Stanford and California in Berkeley have beautiful campuses with plenty of sightseeing nearby.
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People walk in front of the carousel at Pier 39 in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
A couple walk along a pathway beneath giant redwoods at the Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, Calif., Monday, March 31, 2008. Muir Woods, just a dozen miles north of San Francisco, gets a million visitors a year and the sounds of Mandarin, French, Spanish or a score of other languages are often heard in the park at any time. Mostly they seem to be saying the same thing: These trees are big. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A boat sails in front of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
FILE - In this Feb. 6, 2013, file photo, Roberto Castro, right, walks to his ball on the tenth green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links during a practice round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif. It's played on one of the world's most picturesque courses on the first weekend after the Super Bowl, offering magnificent views of the Monterey Peninsula to golf fans still digging out from the snow. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
Two visitors enjoy a view of the Pacific Ocean from a cliff along 17 Mile Drive on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Pebble Beach , Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
In this Oct. 4, 2019 photo, Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes that are almost ready for harvest are held at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Calif. American wine producers are being squeezed out of the fast-growing Chinese market, thanks to President Donald Trump's trade war with China. Since the trade dispute began last year, China has raised tariffs on American wines three times in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Those Chinese tariffs have made U.S. wine much more expensive, leading to a steep drop in sales. Among the casualties is California's Wente Vineyards, a family-run wine business that was among the first U.S. winemakers to export to China 25 years ago. (AP Photo/Terry Chea)
A residence sits on a hilltop overlooking a vineyard in Napa, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. Beautiful Napa is experiencing foreclosures, plunging housing prices, unheard of drops in home sales and the nervous sense of foreboding that has spread across the country like a flu. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Rainbow banners hang in the Castro District Thursday, June 25, 2020, in San Francisco. As San Francisco Pride turns 50 without its signature parade down Market Street and Civic Center party due to the coronavirus pandemic, LGBTQ individuals and their allies are marking the milestone in other ways. Pride weekend will be kicked off with a pink torch procession from Oakland to San Francisco. Mayors London Breed and Libby Schaaf are scheduled to take part. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
The Golden Gate Bridge is seen in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
