Boston cinemas report sparse crowds for Melania Trump documentary debut as nationwide turnout appears muted

Local ticket sales lag as a high-profile political documentary opens in wide release

Several Boston-area movie theaters reported limited attendance and slow pre-sale activity for Melania, the new feature-length documentary centered on First Lady Melania Trump, as it opened in theaters on Friday, January 30, 2026. Showtimes in the city’s core market recorded small numbers of tickets sold across multiple screenings, reflecting a subdued local start for a release backed by a major studio rollout.

The film’s Boston performance has drawn particular attention because it arrives with unusually large financial and promotional commitments for a documentary. The distributor, Amazon MGM Studios, acquired rights for a reported $40 million and mounted an additional reported marketing campaign budget in the tens of millions of dollars. The title is positioned as a theatrical event ahead of an expected streaming release on Prime Video in the weeks following its debut.

What the film covers and how it is being released

Melania follows the first lady through the roughly 20-day period leading up to President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration. Directed by filmmaker Brett Ratner, the documentary emphasizes behind-the-scenes preparations, ceremonial logistics, and private moments surrounding the transition back to the White House.

The release strategy is notable for its scale. The film entered theaters nationwide on January 30 and is also being screened in overseas markets, a distribution footprint that is atypical for most documentary releases and more closely resembles commercial launches for scripted films.

Boston snapshots mirror broader early indicators

In Boston, early seating-chart checks and station-reported tallies indicated limited demand across multiple venues, including large multiplexes serving Downtown and the North Station area. While a handful of showtimes drew some buyers, the overall pattern reflected low occupancy in a market with substantial theater capacity and frequent new releases.

Nationally, early theater-level indicators have also pointed to inconsistent turnout, with only isolated screenings showing high demand, even as the film plays on a large number of screens. Industry forecasts for opening-weekend revenue have varied, ranging from low single-digit millions to an upper estimate around $5 million, underscoring uncertainty about how much of the interest will translate into ticket purchases.

Key facts at a glance

• Release date: January 30, 2026 (U.S. theatrical debut)

• Subject: Melania Trump’s return to public duties during the 2025 inauguration transition period

• Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios

• Director: Brett Ratner

• Boston opening pattern: low reported pre-sales and small crowds across several showtimes

Boston-area theaters reported that many screenings opened with far more available seats than booked ones, despite the film’s nationwide footprint and high-profile positioning.

What comes next

Theatrical performance in the first weekend will help determine how long the film remains on premium screens in Boston and elsewhere, as exhibitors typically adjust schedules quickly based on attendance. With a streaming release expected after its theatrical window, the next major measure of audience interest may come when the documentary becomes available for home viewing.

For Boston theaters, the immediate question is whether weekend walk-up traffic increases beyond early sales, or whether the film’s local run will narrow as theaters reallocate screens to higher-demand titles.