Melania movie opens amid split reviews, rating-site drama, and box office scrutiny
The melania movie debuted in theaters on Friday, January 30, 2026, arriving with an unusually loud mix of politics, celebrity turnout, and controversy over its price tag. The film, titled Melania, tracks the first lady across roughly 20 days around the lead-up to the 2025 inauguration, and early chatter has centered on melania movie reviews, melania box office expectations, and the stark critic-versus-audience split seen in searches like melania rotten tomatoes and rotten tomatoes melania.
Melania movie reviews and ratings
Early reaction has been sharply polarized. Professional reviews have skewed heavily negative, while verified audience reactions on major rating pages have been overwhelmingly positive—creating one of the widest early gaps for a wide-release title this season.
Because the totals have been moving quickly across opening weekend, it’s safest to describe the critic score as single digits to low teens as of Saturday, January 31, 2026 (ET), while the verified audience score has hovered in the high 90s.
| Metric (early weekend snapshot) | Level |
|---|---|
| Critics’ score (range) | single digits to low teens |
| Verified audience score | high 90s |
| Theatrical footprint | ~1,500 theaters (U.S. and Canada) |
| Opening weekend tracking | about $8 million (estimate) |
| Reported spend | ~$40M production; ~$35M marketing (reported) |
The unusual spread has fueled arguments over what the movie “means” culturally—and, separately, how well it’s actually playing once you get past online enthusiasm.
Brett Ratner and the film’s baggage
A major part of the conversation has been the director: Brett Ratner. The release marks a high-profile return for him after years away from mainstream filmmaking following multiple public allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct dating back to 2017.
That context has shaped how some viewers interpret the project’s glossy style and unusual positioning: a personal portrait packaged with premium marketing, arriving in a climate where many audiences weigh the messenger as much as the message.
Premiere spotlight and the Kennedy Center moment
The film’s rollout leaned heavily into event staging. A prominent premiere took place in Washington, D.C., tied to the Kennedy Center and framed as a major red-carpet gathering that blended political and entertainment worlds.
That premiere visibility—combined with the film’s subject matter—helped turn a standard documentary opening into a national talking point, even among people who may not typically buy tickets for nonfiction releases.
Melania box office and “movie sales” questions
Two separate “sales” narratives have dominated discussion:
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Rights economics and spending: Coverage has described a large rights payment and significant marketing spend around the release.
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Ticket demand: Early anecdotes have ranged from strong turnout pockets to visibly sparse screenings, especially outside politically friendly markets.
As of Saturday (ET), the most-cited tracking figure has been an opening weekend estimate around $8 million. Actual weekend totals won’t be clear until the standard Sunday-to-Monday reporting cycle.
For melania movie near me, availability depends on whether your local theaters booked it (many did, given the wide footprint). The most reliable approach is to check your nearest theater’s showtimes page, or the movie listings built into your phone’s maps/search results, then filter by date and time.
Streaming: becoming netflix confusion, and what’s actually expected
Search terms like becoming netflix have surfaced because “Becoming” is already associated with a high-profile documentary on that streaming service—leading some people to assume the Melania film is part of the same nonfiction lane or platform. It isn’t.
As of January 31, 2026 (ET), the film is positioned as theatrical-first, with streaming availability expected later in 2026 on a major subscription platform, though no precise date has been widely finalized.
Nicki Minaj, Trump chatter, and why “daily beast” is trending
Another thread pulling attention: nicki minaj trump. Nicki Minaj’s public-facing appearance tied to the film’s orbit has circulated widely online and helped push the movie beyond the politics beat into broader pop-culture feeds.
That crosscurrent—politics, celebrity, and a documentary release—has also driven searches that mix entertainment and commentary terms, including daily beast, alongside rating queries like melania rotten tomatoes and melania movie rotten tomatoes.
Where is Melania Trump from?
For viewers asking where is melania trump from, she was born in Novo Mesto in what is now Slovenia and grew up in Sevnica. That background is frequently referenced in biographical summaries and continues to be a recurring point of interest whenever her public profile spikes.
Sources consulted: The Guardian, The Daily Beast, The White House, Variety
