President Donald Trump is one of the most followed people on social media platform X with 109.4 million followers. The president prefers to post messages daily on his own Truth Social platform, owned by Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT), but he made a rare exception recently to promote a film documenting his wife.
• Trump Media & Tech Group stock is trading near recent lows. Where is DJT stock headed?
Amazon’s $75 Million Bet on Trump
Opening in movie theaters this weekend and premiering at the Kennedy Center on Thursday, “Melania” is a documentary highlighting First Lady Melania Trump in the 20 days leading up to the 2025 inauguration of her husband.
“Step inside Melania Trump’s world as she orchestrates inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the White House transition, and moves her family back to the Nation’s Capitol,” a synopsis of the movie reads.
While it was just over a year ago that the president was trying to get people to not see a movie about his life, “The Apprentice,” as well as block the film’s release, Trump is now actively promoting another film to his followers.
“Countdown: 7 days until the world will witness an unforgettable, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important events of our time. Melania: Twenty Days to History,” Trump tweeted on Jan. 23.
This was Trump’s first tweet since Christmas Eve. The president has been mostly inactive on X, despite having his account reinstated by Elon Musk back in November 2022.
“Melania, the Movie, is a Must Watch. Get your tickets today – Selling out, Fast!” Trump tweeted on Jan. 26.
This second tweet about the movie made this week generated plenty of responses and quote tweets with users on social media showing pictures of their local movie theaters with no tickets sold or minimal tickets sold, countering the president’s claims of sellouts.
Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) emerged as the top bidder with a reported $40 million to land the film from director and producer Brett Ratner. Amazon is also spending around $35 million on its marketing efforts for the film.
This means that as you read this, you may have seen the trailer on X, with Amazon boosting this post, or the trailer played during recent NFL Playoff games, which come with pricey advertising rates.
A report from CNN says ticket sales ahead of Friday’s theatrical release are low and the film could make only a couple million in box office this weekend. While Amazon will have streaming rights, a low box office could mark a big loss after an aggressive bid and marketing effort.
Of course, winning the film may have been more about sharing the spotlight with Trump than making money.
VIP Film Night at White House
Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy was among the select invited VIP guests who got to watch the film Saturday at the White House, alongside the Trumps and Ratner.
Other top guests included Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook, New York Stock Exchange CEO Lynn Martin, Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) CEO Lisa Su, Queen Rania of Jordan, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, Mike Tyson, Tony Robbins, Azzi Agnelli and more, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
The film night at the White House, which was pre-scheduled, saw backlash from members of Congress as it happened on the same day a protester was killed in Minnesota.
Cook and some other guests also came under fire for posing for pictures with Ratner, who was accused by several women of sexual misconduct and was recently featured in a release of pictures in the Epstein files.
What’s Next for “Melania” Movie?
The film will continue to be marketed by Amazon this week and likely by the president again and again.
Melania Trump is set to ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday.
The film’s official premiere at the Kennedy Center on Thursday will feature Trump and 1,000 other guests and will likely generate more buzz for the film.
For Amazon, the big question is whether buzz and positive and negative attention for the film will translate into box office dollars.
Photo: Joey Sussman via Shutterstock
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