Jaw-dropping sum Amazon is paying for Melania Trump documentary revealed
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: It seems Melania Trump is cashing in big time as her husband gears up for his next presidential term.
According to a new report, Amazon is shelling out a jaw-dropping $40 million to license a documentary about the incoming first lady. And guess who’s behind the camera? None other than controversial filmmaker Brett Ratner.
Furthermore, this isn’t just a one-off; the deal apparently also includes a follow-up docuseries.
Amazon's big bet on Melania Trump
Amazon announced on Sunday, January 5 that the documentary directed by Brett Ratner is slated for release later this year, right in the thick of Donald Trump's second presidency. The project doesn’t just have Melania Trump as its subject—she’s also the executive producer.
Sources told Puck that Amazon’s staggering payout isn’t just for the documentary. The deal also includes a follow-up docuseries of two or three episodes, with Melania taking center stage in both projects. Prime Video plans to stream the content, but the documentary will also get a theatrical release.
Disney and Paramount reportedly duked it out in a bidding war with Amazon, but neither could match the studio owned by the world's second-richest man, Jeff Bezos. Surprisingly, Netflix and Apple didn’t even try to enter the ring.
An Amazon spokesperson teased in a statement, "We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world. More details will be shared later on."
Melania Trump documentary to provide a peek behind the curtain
So, what’s the documentary about? Amazon promises an "unprecedented behind-the-scenes look" at Melania Trump’s life, starting with her humble beginnings in 1970s Slovenia.
Born Melanija Knavs, she began modeling at 16 and later changed her name to Melania Knauss as she built her career across Europe.
In 1996, she moved to the US and worked as a model in Manhattan, where she met the real estate mogul in 1998. After tying the knot in 2005, Melania gave birth to their first and only child, son Barron Trump, in 2006.
Fast forward to now, and Melania has parlayed her position into a lucrative media and business empire. In October 2024, she released her memoir, 'Melania', which skyrocketed to the top of The New York Times and Amazon best-seller lists.
Media giants cozy up to the Trumps
Amazon’s documentary deal is just the latest example of media corporations kowtowing to the Trumps.
Before the election, Bezos reportedly blocked The Washington Post, which he purchased in August 2013, from endorsing Kamala Harris — a move that led to over 250,000 readers canceling subscriptions. He later defended the decision in an op-ed.
Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg faced heat from all sides for his noncommittal stance during the election. Over the summer, he sidestepped endorsing any candidate but praised Trump's response to his first assassination attempt.
Post-election, Zuckerberg has been busy appeasing conservatives, even admitting in a recent video that Meta and Facebook censored right-wing opinions.
The political satire machine is already working overtime. Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes recently lampooned media execs bowing before Trump with bags of money in hand. The caricature featured Bezos and even Mickey Mouse, representing Disney.
Telnaes resigned from The Post on Friday after the newspaper refused to publish the cartoon.
Melania Trump's power moves
While the media scrambles to align with the Trumps, Melania Trump is making business-savvy moves of her own.
Last month, she launched a line of MAGA-inspired Christmas ornaments called "Merry Christmas, America!" The designs include a $90 golden star with "USA" in the center and a $75 golden Lady Liberty.
The collection is a nostalgic nod to her White House Christmas decorations and another step in her growing empire. Melania revealed that part of the proceeds will go toward her charitable initiatives, though she’s keeping the rest of the details under wraps.
She’s also hinted at rebooting her Be Best program, which she introduced in 2018 to promote youth well-being and combat cyberbullying and opioid abuse.
Insiders suggest she may adopt a "part-time first lady" role, splitting her time between the White House and private residences in New York while Barron attends college, as per Daily Mail.
