Why the Melania Trump Documentary Will Go Down in History as One of the Most Scandal-Dogged Films in History

OK! can reveal Melania Trump is poised to see her new documentary Melania enter the record books – not simply for its unprecedented price tag, but for the swirl of controversy that has followed it from announcement to release.

It has emerged Amazon paid $40 million for the rights to the film about the U.S. first lady, 55 – reportedly the highest fee ever commanded by a documentary.

A further $35 million has been splurged on promoting the project, which landed in cinemas before streaming on Prime Video.

Directed by Brett Ratner, 56, the scandal-hit Hollywood filmmaker who has not helmed a feature since 2014's Hercules, the film was shot in the three weeks leading up to the model's husband Donald Trump's second inauguration.

It promised rare access as Melania prepares for a return to the White House, and a screening of the film at the White House drew the president, 79, as well as Apple chief executive Tim Cook, former boxer Mike Tyson and Queen Rania of Jordan. But outside that circle, the project has ignited suspicion and huge criticism.

Melania herself framed the film as a revealing portrait.

She said it was a "private, unfiltered look" as she navigated "family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming first lady."

The trailer for the film, which was heavy on immaculate hats, tailored coats and glossy close-ups – including a lingering shot of Melania's boots – did little to clarify its substance before the film came out.

Marc Beckman, the first lady's adviser and agent, insisted the project was "not political at all" –a claim critics have dismissed as massively implausible.

For nearly a decade, Melania has remained one of the most opaque figures in American public life.

Born in the former Yugoslavia, she began modeling at 16 and moved to Paris and later New York in her twenties.

At 28, she met Donald 24 years her senior, in 1998. Since his ascent to power, speculation has swirled around the dynamics of their marriage and her influence.

Every one of the couple's public appearances have drawn huge attention and Melania's wardrobe has attracted scrutiny, most memorably the jacket emblazoned with "I Really Don't Care, Do U?" – worn during a visit to a migrant child detention center.

Melania later said the message targeted "the media's false narratives."

The Amazon deal for her documentary has also fueled intrigue. Some analysts portrayed it as an attempt by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to curry favor with the Trump administration.

Speaking aboard Air Force One earlier this month, the president praised the film as "incredible."

He said: "It seems to be captivating a lot of people's attention."

Attention, however, has not necessarily translated into enthusiasm.

Tim Richards, chief executive of the Vue cinema chain in Britain, described U.K. ticket sales for the Melania documentary as "soft," adding the strongest reaction had been complaints about the decision to screen it at all.

The backdrop is hardly serene.

Donald's two terms have been marked by repeated scandals and fierce opposition.

He has recently faced condemnation over his mission to seize control of Greenland and over his responses to the killings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. His administration's approval ratings have dipped, even among segments of his voter base.

The Melania film's official debut at Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center – controversially renamed The Donald J Trump and The John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts – has compounded the political outrage.

Brett's involvement in the project has added another layer of criticism.

In 2017, multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, including one allegation of rape, which he denied. He later parted ways with Warner Bros.

Now, with Melania and reports of a potential Rush Hour 4 film, his return unfolds under the glare of renewed scrutiny – ensuring the lavishly financed first lady portrait will be remembered as much for the storm around it as for anything it shows on screen.

OK! spoke to multiple sources about how the project is mired in scandal.

A senior distribution executive familiar with the film's release strategy said: "For a documentary to command $40 million up front and another $35 million in marketing is virtually unheard of. That alone puts Melania in rarefied – and risky – territory."

A former Amazon Studios insider said: "There was always an understanding internally that this wasn't just another documentary acquisition. The optics mattered. The timing mattered. Everyone knew it would be scrutinized through a political lens, whether the company liked it or not."

And a Washington-based political strategist said: "You cannot separate this film from the broader political climate. Even if it claims to be apolitical, it lands at a moment when the administration is under intense pressure. That context defines how audiences will interpret it."

A film industry awards consultant said: "Historically, documentaries that become this politicized struggle to find neutral ground with viewers. Curiosity might drive clicks on streaming, but controversy doesn't always sell cinema tickets."

A cultural critic based in New York said: "The mystery surrounding Melania Trump has always fueled public fascination. The irony is that by attempting to demystify her, the film may actually amplify the intrigue – especially if it avoids the harder questions."

And a Hollywood public relations executive said: "Brett Ratner's return behind the camera was always going to reopen old debates. Pairing that with a film about one of the most polarizing political figures in the world was bound to create a backlash."

A media analyst said: "Whether it ultimately thrives or falters commercially, the sheer scale of the investment and the controversies orbiting it mean this film will be studied for years as a case study in politics, media, and power."