Melania (2026): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
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.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 44m (104 min)
- Director
- Brett Ratner
- Genre
- Documentary
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Amazon MGM Studios
- Budget
- $40M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
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.
Melania Cast
Melania Trump leads the cast, with Donald Trump and Hervé Pierre. Directed by Brett Ratner; 20 actors are credited in all.
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Director Brett Ratner
- Melania Trump as themselves
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Donald Trump as themselves - Hervé Pierre as themselves
- Brigitte Macron as themselves
Also Starring in Melania
· 16 more- Queen Rania Themselves
- Aviva Siegel Themselves
- Peter Sohn Themselves
- Adam Lippes Themselves
- Aiko Mizutori Themselves
- Tham Kannalikham Themselves
- David Monn Themselves
- Yaqi Sun Themselves
- Hayley Harrison Themselves
- Casey Nalls Themselves
- Gabrielle Daymond Themselves
- Alexandra Veletsis Themselves
- Viktor Knavs Themselves
- Joseph P. LaMorte Themselves
- Enrique Salvo Themselves
- Justin Caporale Themselves
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.
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).
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.
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Rotten Tomatoes 9% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 99%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 5 Metascore
User score 1.6
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 34% User score
See on TMDB
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
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.
Worldwide gross
$16.7M
42% of its budget back
- US & Canada
- $16.4M
- International
- $304K
- Budget
- $40M
Melania Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Melania.
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What major event does the documentary build up to?
Seen Melania?
Articles About Melania
Our article about Melania: “Melania (2026) Review: Critics’ Opinions and Audience Reception of the Inauguration Documentary”.
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Opinions
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.
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