Amazon Withdraws Melania Trump Documentary from Oregon Cinema Following Marketing Clash
An independent cinema in Oregon has alleged that Amazon abruptly cancelled future screenings of the authorised documentary about Melania Trump, citing dissatisfaction with the venue's promotional tactics. The dispute centres on marketing messages displayed at the Lake Theater & Cafe in Lake Oswego, which reportedly included provocative phrases such as "To defeat your enemy. You must know them. Melania" and "Does Melania wear Prada? Find out on Friday!"
Cinema Owner's Response to Amazon's Decision
Jordan Perry, the general manager of the cinema, detailed the situation on the venue's Instagram account. He stated that he received a call indicating that Amazon executives were upset with the marquee marketing for the film, leading to the cancellation of screenings scheduled beyond Sunday. Perry expressed hope that his Amazon Prime membership would not be revoked and humorously suggested that supporters direct their business to Whole Foods instead.
In a separate post titled "Why I, Jordan, Got Melania Here," Perry explained his initial programming decision. He described it as primarily driven by a desire for humour, noting the absurdity of a documentary about the former first lady. Additionally, he cited financial motivations, pointing out a sparse film marketplace that made the controversial title an attractive option to fill screens and generate interest.
Controversy Over Box Office Performance and Ticket Sales
This cancellation occurs alongside growing scrutiny of the documentary's box office performance in the United States. The film, titled Melania, reportedly earned $7 million (£5.1 million) during its domestic opening weekend, securing the number three position in the US charts. However, observations of seemingly empty cinemas have sparked rumours of "fake ticket sales" to artificially inflate revenue.
Industry analyst Tom Brueggemann suggested on his Substack that there were indications of bulk ticket purchases, possibly distributed to groups like senior citizen homes or Republican activists to boost audience numbers. Conversely, representatives from Amazon and major cinema chains AMC and Regal have denied knowledge of any unusual block purchases, though they acknowledged that such transactions might not always be detectable.
International Reception and Distribution Strategies
Demographic data from US screenings indicates that older white women were the primary audience driving the film's success domestically. Internationally, the documentary has seen varied results. Melania Trump's native Slovenia emerged as the top-performing international market, while in the United Kingdom, the film debuted modestly at number 29 in the box office rankings, with a weekend screen average of just £212 across 155 screens.
Some UK industry experts have speculated whether the wide release strategy might involve "four-walling," a practice where distributors pay cinemas to screen a film, potentially explaining the broad but underwhelming rollout. The US currently accounts for approximately 98.8% of the film's total earnings, highlighting its limited appeal overseas.
This incident underscores the complexities of film marketing and distribution in a polarised political climate, where promotional approaches can lead to significant corporate repercussions and public debate over authenticity in box office reporting.
