meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Today in Focus

Melania: will Bezos-bankrolled documentary be a flop? – The Latest

Today in Focus

The Guardian

News, Daily News

4.65.9K Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2026

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Jeff Bezos’s Amazon MGM Studios is due to release its feature-length documentary about Melania Trump, directed by Brett Ratner, a formerly exiled film-maker who was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women. The documentary was screened at a promotional event inside the White House, attended by what the Hollywood Reporter describes as ‘70 assorted VIPs’, including Amazon’s Andy Jassy, Apple’s Tim Cook and the former boxer Mike Tyson. Bezos bought the rights to the film for $40m (£30m) and spent a further $35m on a global marketing push – but so far, ticket sales are reportedly ‘soft’ as it prepares to screen in more than 100 UK cinemas. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is The Guardian.

0:11.5

In the trailer, you see her saying things like, everybody wants to know, so here it is.

0:16.6

And it's like, well, the things they want to know, you're not going to tell us.

0:21.1

Everyone wants to know.

0:23.7

So here it is.

0:26.9

Clearly, what Amazon thought is that what it would cost them in terms of credibility and profits,

0:33.6

it would easily make back in terms of bustering.

0:36.6

I mean, Hollywood is absolutely capitulated to Trump at the moment.

0:40.5

Why is Amazon paying millions of dollars for a documentary about Melania Trump

0:45.6

that will almost certainly be a flop in the UK?

0:49.3

From The Guardians today in Focus, this is the latest.

0:52.1

With me, Lucy Ha. Well, to help answer that question is Catherine Short, Guardian Film Editor. Thanks for being with us, Catherine.

1:05.6

So let's talk about the weekend because there were appalling events in the weekend.

1:11.2

Another fatal shooting of a man in Minneapolis.

1:14.2

There have been widespread protests across America.

1:18.1

But in the Trump White House, if you thought that this was on his radar in any meaningful way,

1:22.4

he was tweeting on his true social platform about the attempts to thwart his £300 million ballroom.

1:30.0

And he was also hosting a glitzy film premiere for his wife, Melania.

1:35.8

It says something that we know about the dark nature of Trump's White House,

1:40.0

but also the very curious nature of this film.

1:43.4

Yeah, I mean, I think it's fairly standard practice for Trump to put on a gaudy, extraordinary display of vanity and tastelessness at a time of national tragedy and mourning and fear.

1:56.1

That doesn't seem sort of that out of the ordinary.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Guardian, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Guardian and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.