Film & TV2 min(s) read
How movie theaters respond when nobody buys a ticket as Melania Trump film showing gets 'zero bookings'
Melania Trump's upcoming documentary film, MELANIA, set to premiere on January 30, 2026, has faced an underwhelming response from moviegoers. Despite high-profile backing from Donald Trump, who described the film as a "MUST WATCH," early signs suggest the film is struggling to sell tickets. The documentary, which will be shown in over 1,400 theaters across the United States and more than 27 countries, is facing a challenging start.
A user on X shared a screenshot revealing that no tickets had been sold for the 9:55 PM showing of MELANIA at one of the busiest theaters in the Jacksonville area.
Other similar posts have surfaced, showing empty ticket sales for screenings of the film, raising questions about how theaters handle screenings with low to no ticket sales.
What happens when no one buys a ticket?
So, what do movie theaters do when a scheduled film fails to attract an audience? One X user explained that if a screening has no ticket sales, theaters usually still show the film unless there's an opportunity to replace it with something more in demand. "For example - SpongeBob sells out and clearly is in high demand, after getting approval we can swap out," the user shared.
Former theater workers have also discussed the process on platforms like Reddit, with one recalling that if a film was scheduled for a late-night showing and no tickets were sold, theaters might run the film for a short time and then shut it down.
In cases where no one showed up, some theaters would even turn off the projector to conserve resources. Another commenter shared that if no one bought tickets within 20 minutes of the showtime, they would turn off the projector.
Melania's high production costs and future prospects
Despite these early struggles, the financial investment in MELANIA remains significant. Amazon is reported to have spent around $40 million on producing the documentary, with an additional $35 million allocated for global distribution.
The premiere at the Kennedy Center adds to the high-profile nature of the release, but it's unclear if these efforts will be enough to turn the tide.
As theaters prepare to screen MELANIA across the globe, it remains to be seen whether the film will pick up momentum or continue to struggle at the box office. Meanwhile, competitors like Netflix and Paramount Pictures, who have avoided such controversy, may feel confident in their own releases as the documentary faces its rocky start.