Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Documentary

Melania (2026): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Melania (2026) movie poster

Melania is a 2026 documentary directed by Brett Ratner, starring Melania Trump, Donald Trump and Hervé Pierre. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes and earned $16.7 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Critics gave it 9% on Rotten Tomatoes and 5 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
9%
worldwide gross
$16.7M
Echo Score
7
Metascore
5
Loading streaming availability…
Melania (2026) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 44m (104 min)
Director
Brett Ratner
Genre
Documentary
Original language
English
Budget
$40M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Melania About?

The premise of Melania without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Amazon MGM Studios' documentary MELANIA follows the First Lady during the 20 days before the 2025 inauguration. She coordinates inauguration details, manages the White House transition, and moves her family to Washington. The film includes exclusive footage of key meetings, private conversations and never‑shown areas, underscoring her return to a role.

Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Melania Cast

Melania Trump leads the cast, with Donald Trump and Hervé Pierre. Directed by Brett Ratner; 20 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Melania

· 16 more
From the director

More from Brett Ratner

More films directed by Brett Ratner, best-rated first: Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, Tower Heist and Rush Hour 2.

Full filmography
Ratings

Melania Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Melania 9% on Rotten Tomatoes and 5 on Metacritic. Our Echo Score gives it 7/100, strongest in art & craft (15) and weakest in rewatch factor (8).

7 /100

Melania Echo Score Breakdown

The consensus on Melania is overwhelmingly negative, with critics and most viewers finding the film lacking in artistic ambition, narrative drive, and emotional engagement. Reviews highlight its airbrushed visuals, static performances, and an inert, propaganda‑like tone that offers little insight. While a handful of audience members report occasional amusement, the prevailing assessment deems the documentary a shallow, poorly crafted effort with minimal lasting appeal.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 15

    In terms of direction and cinematography, the documentary is described as airbrushed and stage‑managed, offering no visual innovation. Critics note swift cuts and an overall inert visual style, while users complain of technical issues such as motion‑sickness‑inducing frame rates. The lack of compelling visual craft contributes to a perception of the film as a glossy promotional piece rather than a cinematic work.

  • Character & Emotion 10

    When it comes to character depth, the subject appears emotionally static, with critics calling the performance stiff, monosyllabic, and devoid of unguarded moments. Viewers echo this sentiment, noting a lack of chemistry and an overall sense of artificiality in the portrayed interactions. Consequently, the documentary fails to elicit empathy or provide nuanced insight into its central figure.

  • Story & Flow 15

    The film’s narrative structure is criticized for its lack of coherence and pacing, described as stultifying and devoid of tension. Critics and users alike point to an absence of a clear arc, with the premise of a pre‑inauguration journey remaining under‑developed. This results in a documentary that feels more like a static PR exercise than an engaging story.

  • Sensory Experience 10

    Regarding sensory experience, reviewers highlight an inert soundscape and a soundtrack that many find incongruous with the film’s subject. Visuals are characterized as overly polished and lacking organic texture, reinforcing the sense of a staged presentation. Both critics and audience members note that the auditory and visual elements fail to immerse or enhance the viewing experience.

  • Rewatch Factor 8

    The rewatch factor is minimal; critics deem the documentary devoid of new insights, and most viewers report it as sleep‑inducing or unable to finish. A small number of audience members cite occasional amusement, yet the overall consensus is that the film offers little incentive for repeated viewings, resulting in a low replay value.

Plot

Melania Plot Summary

What happens in Melania from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Melania provides an intimate and detailed look into the personal experiences of Melania Trump during the critical 20-day countdown leading up to the second inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The film opens with a reflective voiceover delivered by Melania, in which she clarifies the intention behind the documentary:

“to show the American people my life” and her “journey from private citizen to first lady.”

The narrative begins with the logistical and aesthetic preparations for her return to the capital. This includes a professional meeting with her renowned fashion designer, Hervé Pierre, at the iconic Trump Tower, as well as detailed discussions with an interior decorator regarding the specific plans for the family’s transition and move back into the White House.

Full summary

The whole story of Melania, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Melania Box Office & Budget

Melania grossed $16.7 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, 42% of what it cost. $16.4 million came from the US and Canada and $303,986 (2%) from the rest of the world.

2026 box office

Worldwide gross

$16.7M

42% of its budget back

US & Canada
$16.4M
International
$304K
Budget
$40M
US & Canada 98% Rest of the world 2%
Videos

Melania Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Melania.

Official Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Melania?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What major event does the documentary build up to?

Seen Melania?

FAQ

Melania FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Melania, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Melania?

Melania runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).

When was Melania released?

Melania was released on January 30, 2026.

Who directed Melania?

Melania was directed by Brett Ratner.

More films by Brett Ratner

Who is in the cast of Melania?

Melania stars Melania Trump, Donald Trump and Hervé Pierre, among 20 credited actors.

How much did Melania make at the box office?

Melania grossed $16.7 million worldwide ($16.4 million domestic, $303,986 international) on a budget of $40 million.

How is Melania rated?

Melania has 9% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5 on Metacritic and 34% on TMDB.

Does Melania have a post-credit scene?

No. Melania has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app