Melania? Nah, says Toronto moviegoers as pricey political documentary sees low pre-sales
Posted January 30, 2026 11:38 am.
The trailer for a new documentary from First Lady Melania Trump that hits theatres in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and across Canada today features the teaser line “Everyone wants to know, so here it is.”
But if pre-sales of Melania in Toronto are any indication, we want to know about as much as we want more snow.
As of 11:30 a.m., seat pre-sales at Cineplex’s flagship downtown Toronto cinema at Richmond and John streets look dismal.
Just a handful of seats have been snagged for today’s first four screenings of the documentary at Scotiabank Theatre. For the 8:45 p.m. Friday night screening — usually a hot date night slot — just three seats have been reserved.
Melania, which debuted at the Trump Kennedy Center on Thursday night, focuses on the 20 days leading up to the inauguration of President Donald Trump in 2025.
The Cineplex website says the film offers “unprecedented access” to that time period through the eyes of the First Lady.
“Step inside Melania Trump’s world as she orchestrates inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the White House transition, and reenters public life with her family,” the promotion reads.
“With exclusive footage capturing critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments, Mrs. Trump returns to one of the world’s most powerful roles.”
Cineplex tells CityNews the film will be playing at four theatres in the GTA, but wouldn’t comment on ticket sales.
“As a publicly traded company, we don’t disclose specific numbers or insights around ticket sales,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Melania, produced by AmazonMGM Studios at a reported $40 million, will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video after its theatrical run.
“It’s beautiful, it’s emotional, it’s fashionable, it’s cinematic, and I’m very proud of it,” the 55-year-old First Lady said at the Trump Kennedy Center debut on Thursday.
With files from The Associated Press
