A high-budget documentary based on the life of US First Lady Melania Trump has run into serious trouble even before its official release.
According to international media reports, extremely low ticket sales for scheduled screenings in major cities in the United States and the United Kingdom have caused concern among the filmmakers.
The documentary, produced at an estimated cost of around 75 million dollars, is set to be released in cinemas on January 30. However, reports indicate that in several cinemas in New York and London, only one or two tickets have been sold per show.
In prominent cinemas at New York’s Times Square, even prime evening screenings appear nearly empty, with not a single ticket sold at the price of 25 dollars.
Social media users have been sharing images of empty theaters, while at the same time, the film continues to receive strong promotion on Donald Trump’s platform, Truth Social.
Reports suggest that streaming giant Amazon acquired the rights to the documentary for approximately 40 million dollars, while an additional 35 million dollars were spent on promotion, marketing, and distribution.
The film claims to reveal previously unseen aspects of Melania Trump’s life, including preparations in the White House’s East Wing, her charitable initiatives, and her family life.
It has also been reported that several members of the production team distanced themselves from the project, reportedly calling it propaganda and requesting the removal of their names from the end credits.
There are further claims that Melania Trump received nearly 28 million dollars for her participation in the documentary.
An American TV host commented sarcastically that the historic East Wing mentioned in the film no longer exists in its original form, as construction of a ballroom is currently underway.
Additionally, Melania Trump has faced criticism from some quarters for continuing to promote the film during a tragic shooting incident in one US state.
As a result, the documentary appears to be struggling to generate public interest even before its release, raising serious questions about its box office prospects.
