A documentary about First Lady Melania Trump was pulled from theaters in South Africa just days before its scheduled worldwide release, with sources citing political reasons for the last-minute cancellation.
The film, titled “Melania,” began a worldwide theatrical release on Friday, January 30, in almost 30 countries. However, on Wednesday, January 28, South African distributor Filmfinity made the decision to cancel the theatrical run in the country.
Thobashan Govindarajulu, head of sales and marketing for Filmfinity, declined to provide specific reasons for the movie’s last-minute pull. He later stated the decision was “based on recent developments.”
The documentary follows the first lady over 20 days before the 2025 inauguration as she prepares to transition back to the White House. Directed by Brett Ratner, the film was produced by Amazon MGM Studios, which licensed the documentary for $40 million.
Mark Sardi, chief executive of Ster-Kinekor, one of South Africa’s major theater chains, addressed the cancellation in an interview with the New York Times. “Our basic position would be we’re not in the censorship business,” he said.
Sardi stated that Filmfinity’s distributor was not pressured to remove the film. The removal comes at a time when relations between the United States and South Africa face challenges, with President Donald Trump having introduced tariffs affecting trade between the nations.
Despite the South African cancellation, the film proceeded with its theatrical release in other territories, including the United Kingdom, Spain, and Mexico. Amazon MGM Studios is spending around $35 million in worldwide marketing for the theatrical run. FilmNation is handling international distribution and marketing with buyers around the world.
The documentary saw a $7 million opening weekend in the United States, where it opened in 1,500 theaters. Presales in the United States were already at $1 million.
Early ticket sales patterns showed regional variations across different markets. Key showtimes were selling out at some United States theaters, including Century City AMC in Los Angeles and Lincoln Plaza in New York City.
However, ticket sales in the United Kingdom told a different story. Tim Richards, chief executive of Vue, one of the country’s biggest movie theater operators, stated that ticket sales were soft. At Vue’s flagship Islington location in London, only one ticket was sold for the first screening on Friday. Two tickets were sold for the 6 p.m. showing at the same location.
The timing of the South African cancellation on Wednesday, just days before the Friday release, represented a significant disruption for the theatrical rollout. Such last-minute changes are unusual in the film distribution business, where theatrical bookings are typically secured weeks or months in advance.
Distribution across nearly 30 countries suggests the international interest in American political figures extends beyond traditional news consumption. The theatrical release strategy, rather than a streaming-only approach, indicates a belief that audiences will pay to see the content in theaters rather than waiting for home viewing options.
The contrast between strong presales in rural American markets and soft ticket sales in major international cities like London reveals varying levels of interest across different demographics and regions. These patterns may reflect different political attitudes, media consumption habits, or general curiosity about the subject matter.
The $7 million opening weekend established “Melania” as a significant theatrical documentary release. Few non-fiction films achieve such box office performance, with most documentaries earning the majority of their revenue through streaming platforms, educational sales, or festival circuits rather than traditional theatrical runs.
The sellout performances at high-profile venues like Century City AMC and Lincoln Plaza suggest strong interest in major metropolitan areas within the United States, even as international markets show more mixed reception.
The South African cancellation represents the most significant disruption to the release plan, though the film will still reach audiences across most of its intended markets.
