Jan 9, 2024 – Melania’s mother, Amalija Knavs, dies, a personal loss that the documentary later frames as a central emotional thread for the former first lady[2].

Jan 9, 2025 – Melania attends former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral, a scene the film uses to juxtapose her private grief with public duty[2][14].

May 2025 – President Donald Trump confronts South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over the “white genocide” claim, deepening U.S.–South Africa tensions that later influence South African distributors’ decisions about the film[3].

Jan 20, 2025 – Donald Trump’s second inauguration occurs; the documentary chronicles the 20 days leading up to this event, focusing on design, fashion, and diplomatic meetings[6][14].

Dec 17, 2025 – The official trailer drops, announcing a Jan 30, 2026 theatrical release and featuring the line “Here we go again” plus a phone call where Donald asks “Did you watch it?” and Melania replies “I will see it on the news”[16].

Jan 30, 2026 – “Melania” premieres at the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center and opens nationwide in roughly 1,500‑1,800 theaters, financed by a $40 million Amazon rights deal and a $35 million marketing spend[8][14][10].

Jan 31, 2026 – Opening‑day attendance splits between packed regional theaters and near‑empty venues in Washington, DC, while President Trump calls the film “very important” and “a big deal”[7].

Feb 1, 2026 – Opening‑weekend box office reaches $7 million, surpassing $2‑$5 million forecasts; CinemaScore awards an “A” and audience approval hits 99 % on Rotten Tomatoes[15][5].

Feb 1, 2026 – Amazon’s $75 million budget ($40 million rights + $35 million marketing) is highlighted as a record‑setting spend for a documentary, with the studio betting on long‑tail streaming value[12][13].

Feb 1, 2026 – “Saturday Night Live” lampoons the documentary, mocking director Brett Ratner and linking the release to a same‑day FBI raid on a Georgia election office[12].

Feb 2, 2026 – Critics rate the film at 10‑12 % on Rotten Tomatoes, calling it “a shameless infomercial,” while Melania posts on X that the film is “loved by all” and cites a positive CinemaScore[1][11].

Feb 2, 2026 – President Trump claims tickets are “selling out, FAST!” yet London’s Vue Cinema sells only one ticket, underscoring a gap between political rhetoric and actual sales[11].

Feb 4, 2026 – At a White House Blue Room gathering, Melania references the documentary’s footage of her meeting former Hamas hostage Aviva Siegel, insisting the appearance “has nothing to do with promotion”[4].

Feb 5, 2026 – Observers label the film a “propaganda tool” for the Trump family, noting its $40 million Amazon acquisition and worldwide rollout in 5,000 cinemas across 26 countries, while French distributors announce no release date[18].

Future (post‑theatrical) – Amazon plans to stream the documentary on Prime Video and launch a three‑part companion docu‑series, aiming to monetize the “long‑tail lifecycle” beyond box‑office earnings[5][13].