Last we checked in with Brett Ratner, he was eyeing a summer shoot for “Rush Hour 4” — which, let’s all be honest here, was greenlit by Donald Trump.
Ratner hasn’t worked in Hollywood for the past seven years. In 2017, at the height of #MeToo, he faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment and was immediately dropped by his agency. Ratner has strongly denied all allegations, and no charges were ever brought against him.
However, one studio willing to work with Ratner is Amazon, and they’re now teaming up with him on—of all things—a Melania Trump documentary, which will be co-produced by the former First Lady herself. The film, which was acquired for $40M, is slated for release on January 30 in over 2000 screens nationwide.
That said, and to the surprise of absolutely nobody, presales are atrocious for this doc, which Amazon/MGM is giving an exclusive theatrical run. Internal tracking suggests the film might open below $1M on its opening weekend.
Reports this week indicate that advance bookings in key markets—like Los Angeles and Florida—are virtually non-existent. Hollywood insider Rob Shuter quoted one source as saying that in New York, “only a handful of seats have been booked”.
These static numbers wouldn’t be so bad for a documentary if it weren’t for the fact that the damn film cost $40M to produce. Why? Turns out Amazon/MGM Studios agreed to pay that amount to license and distribute the film, rather than a typical low-budget documentary deal. It’s reportedly the largest known licensing deal for a documentary of this kind.
According to the official description, the film “offers unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration — through the eyes of the First Lady-elect herself.” Amazon MGM also invites viewers to “step inside Melania Trump’s world as she orchestrates inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the White House transition, and reenters public life with her family.”
This doc could have nabbed decent streaming numbers, but there’s absolutely no reason for it to be rolled out in theaters. That said, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos lights his money on fire for ambiance, and odds are he won’t be losing much sleep over this.