Amazon MGM Studios is pouring an eye-watering $35 million into promoting a documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump.
The spending comes despite projections suggesting almost nobody plans to see it.
Industry insiders are calling the promotional budget “insanely high,” especially given early tracking data that paints a bleak picture for the film’s commercial prospects.
But promotional spending may not be the real story here—it’s what Amazon appears to be buying with all that cash.
Box Office Projections Tell a Troubling Story
According to entertainment industry publication Puck, current tracking projects the documentary will earn just $5 million during its opening weekend when it hits theaters on Jan. 30.
That’s a fraction of what comparable documentary films have achieved. Reporter Matthew Belloni pointed out that the 2023 Taylor Swift documentary “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” brought in more than $93 million during its opening weekend—with a much smaller promotional budget.
Amazon has already committed $40 million just for distribution rights to the film, bringing total investment to a staggering $75 million before accounting for production costs.
All-Out Marketing Blitz Despite Lackluster Interest
Amazon isn’t holding back on visibility for “Melania.”
Expensive advertisements have aired during NFL broadcasts, reaching millions of viewers during some of television’s most premium advertising slots. The company has promoted the film on the iconic Las Vegas Sphere and plastered billboards across major markets.
The documentary will premiere at the Kennedy Center—a venue that has seen numerous artists refuse to perform there after President Donald Trump had his name etched on the building.
Melania Trump herself is scheduled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday as part of the promotional campaign.
Spending Big While Cutting Jobs
The lavish spending on what appears to be a vanity project stands in stark contrast to Amazon’s treatment of its workforce.
Reuters reports that Amazon plans to lay off 30,000 corporate workers in a second round of firings, following a purge of 14,000 employees in October 2025.
Company founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos—one of the five wealthiest people in the world—has firmly aligned himself with Trump’s administration.
Bezos donated a reported $1 million to Trump’s inauguration last year, around the same time Amazon committed to distributing the Melania documentary.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Media Appeasement
Amazon’s investment echoes other media companies’ efforts to curry favor with the Trump administration.
ABC News parent company Disney recently settled a lawsuit brought by Trump rather than fight it in court. CBS News parent Paramount also settled for millions.
Bezos has spent years reshaping The Washington Post, which he owns, into what critics describe as a more Trump-friendly publication.
Reports indicate he has directed the editorial board to push a Republican-friendly agenda, leading to an exodus of multiple writers and contributors—but earning praise from Donald Trump.
Controversial Director Kept in the Shadows
Despite massive expenditure on the movie, Amazon has notably downplayed involvement of director Brett Ratner.
Ratner’s previous projects include the successful “Rush Hour” franchise, but he hasn’t been involved in a major Hollywood production since 2019.
In 2017, Ratner faced alarming allegations of rape and sexual harassment by multiple actresses.
Though Ratner denied the allegations, Warner Bros. announced it was severing ties with him when the claims surfaced. His absence from promotional materials for “Melania” suggests Amazon recognizes his name could be more liability than asset.
What $35 Million Really Buys
With box office projections so far below investment costs, industry observers are questioning Amazon’s real motivations.
A $35 million promotional budget for a film projected to earn $5 million opening weekend doesn’t make financial sense by traditional Hollywood metrics.
What it does buy is significant goodwill with an administration known for rewarding friends and punishing perceived enemies.
Amazon operates a massive retail and cloud computing empire that intersects with federal regulations, contracts, and antitrust scrutiny across multiple agencies.
The company’s willingness to absorb what appears to be a massive financial loss on a single documentary project raises questions about whether the real return on investment isn’t measured in box office receipts at all—but in political capital with the current administration.
As American workers face layoffs and streaming subscribers pay increasing subscription fees, one of the world’s wealthiest men has found tens of millions of dollars to promote a film almost nobody wants to see.