Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel delivered scathing critiques of Melania Trump’s documentary film “Melania” on Wednesday night, January 28, and Thursday night, January 29, taking aim at everything from the premiere’s guest list to the film’s reported box office prospects.

On the 28th, Kimmel compared the documentary to the Epstein Files, joking that “no one’s ever going to see them.”

The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, held its premiere Thursday night at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. The film, which follows Melania Trump before the 2025 inauguration, was released in theaters nationwide on January 30.

During his late-night show, Kimmel mocked the caliber of celebrities who attended the Kennedy Center premiere. “Not since The Terminator has there been this much excitement for a movie about a European cyborg,” Kimmel said on his program. He also commented on the premiere’s attendees and the film’s prospects.

The guest list for the premiere included Nicki Minaj, Dr. Phil, Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Eric Adams, Dr. Oz, and Todd and Julie Chrisley. However, the mainstream press was barred from entering the event. Notably absent were most of Donald Trump’s children, including 19-year-old Barron Trump and Ivanka.

Kimmel also targeted the film’s director, Brett Ratner, who faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2017.

Kimmel repeatedly called the film a “corporate bribe” rather than a documentary, and specifically tied the Amazon deal to Trump’s political power. He said Amazon “shelled out $40 million to make this movie and another $35 million to promote it, which is so much more than probably any documentary ever, but they want you to know that this had nothing to do with the fact that her husband is a petty, vengeful bloodsucker.” He then quoted an Amazon spokesperson saying they licensed the film solely because they believed customers would love it, adding sarcastically that the spokesperson “laughed and laughed until they had to carry her away.”

The financial investment in “Melania” has been substantial. Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the film and spent an additional $35 million on marketing, bringing the total investment to $75 million. Despite this massive budget, box office projections remained grim at first. Analysts predicted the film would earn between $1 million and $5 million on its opening weekend. Many were shocked to learn that the film received an estimated $7 million in revenue.

Kimmel noted that Melania personally pocketed $28 million of the licensing fee, joking: “Between this and her marriage, she’s probably the highest-paid actress in the world.”

Early reviews were particularly harsh, with critics describing the film as vapid. Independent critic Nick Hilton gave the documentary just one star.

Social media reports showed screenings in near-empty theaters across the country. In Los Angeles and Culver City, billboards promoting the film were defaced by various individuals, including the artist collective Indecline.

Behind the scenes, the production was reportedly troubled. The film was shot during a compressed 20-day filming window. Crew members described the set as chaotic and disorganized, with two-thirds of the New York crew requesting that their names be removed from the project. The crew’s dissatisfaction with the production process is significant. The request to have their names removed suggests deep concerns about the final product or the production process itself.

The shortened filming schedule of just 20 days is highly unusual for a documentary project, particularly one with such a substantial budget.

The film had also been review-bombed on Letterboxd even before its official theatrical release.

As part of the promotional campaign, Melania Trump rang the opening bell at the NYSE, a high-profile appearance designed to generate interest in the documentary.

Brett Ratner’s involvement as director has been one of the controversial aspects of the project, given that he faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2017, although he was not charged and denied the allegations.

Even at the high end of projections, a $7 million opening weekend represents a fraction of the studio’s investment.

Melania told Fox News that both Trump and Barron had seen and liked the film, prompting Kimmel to say sarcastically, “All the people in the movie are giving it rave reviews. That’s enough for me!”