Dec 17, 2025 – The first trailer for Melania drops, showing the incoming first lady in the Capitol rotunda and featuring her lines “Here we go again” and “Everyone wants to know, so here it is,” while a phone call ends with Donald Trump asking “Did you watch it?” and Melania replying she will see it on the news[13].

Jan 9, 2025 – Melania attends former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral, marking the one‑year anniversary of her mother Amalija Knavs’s death, and later lights a candle at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, describing her mother as “the richest thread in my life”[11].

Jan 20, 2025 – Donald Trump’s second inauguration approaches; the documentary chronicles the 20 days leading up to the ceremony, including design decisions, fashion fittings, and a behind‑the‑scenes push to change the inaugural speech line from “peacemaker” to “unifier,” which Melania insists be kept on tape[5].

May 2025 – Tensions rise as President Trump confronts South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over the “white genocide” claim during a White House meeting, further souring U.S.–South Africa relations that later influence the film’s South African distribution decisions[3].

Jan 30, 2026 – Melania premieres at the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center with a black‑tie preview attended by cabinet members, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Amazon’s Andy Jassy; President Trump calls the film “really good, glamorous” and uses the event to announce the naming of a new Federal Reserve chair[7].

Jan 31, 2026 – Opening‑day screenings show mixed attendance, with packed rows in Indianapolis and near‑empty houses in Washington, D.C.; protests erupt after federal agents kill ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and influencer Erika Kirk and Tim Cook attend a private White House screening hours later[6][2].

Jan 31, 2026 – President Trump defends the documentary as “very important” and “a big deal,” dismissing corruption accusations while the film’s $40 million rights purchase draws criticism for potential corporate influence[6].

Feb 1, 2026 – Amazon MGM Studios spends a total $75 million ($40 million for rights, $35 million for marketing), opens in 1,778 theaters, and reports a $7 million opening weekend that tops forecasts of $2‑$5 million; Kevin Wilson touts a “long‑tail lifecycle” with a companion three‑part docu‑series set to stream on Prime Video[4][12].

Feb 1, 2026 – Industry trackers project the film will finish in the top five for the weekend, with an early $2.9 million debut that could set a ten‑year documentary opening record, while Rotten Tomatoes shows only 12 percent critic approval versus a 99 percent audience score[10].

Feb 2, 2026 – Box‑office reports confirm the documentary surpasses forecasts, earning over $7 million and ranking third behind Send Help and Iron Lung; audience surveys give it an “A” CinemaScore, yet critics label it a “shameless infomercial” and “obsequious portrait” of the administration[1].

Future (2026 onward) – Amazon plans to leverage the film’s “long‑tail” value by streaming the companion docu‑series on Prime Video and expects the $75 million investment to serve regulatory‑political purposes rather than pure profit, according to consultant David A. Gross[12][4].