Who Saw ‘Melania’ Doc? Older White Women Drove the Box Office

Key Highlights

• The Amazon MGM film has grossed $7.04 million from 1,778 North American theaters, a notable debut for a documentary (especially one that doesn’t involve music).
• The audience was 72% female and 83% over the age of 45, a demographic rarity at a time when the box office is driven by younger men.
• Related Stories Lionsgate Sells Streaming Platform Lionsgate Play in India, Southeast Asia to Founder Rohit Jain Lionsgate Names Steve Mnuchin, Trump's Former Treasury Secretary, to Board of Directors By comparison, the top two films at the domestic box office, Sam Raimi’s survival thriller “Send Help” (which debuted to $20 million) and YouTuber Markiplier’s “Iron Lung” (which debuted to $17.5 million) had similar breakdowns of 50-60% males under the age of 25.
• Plus, conventional wisdom says older moviegoers — a cohort that’s been harder to reach since COVID — don’t show up on opening weekend.
• Popular on Variety “This is a rare case,” says David A.