EXCLUSIVE: All the Reasons Jeff Bezos is Set to Be the Only Winner From the 'Embarrassing $75Million Bribe' Documentary 'Melania'
Jeff Bezos may be the only winner that comes out of the 'Melania' film chaos.
Jan. 30 2026, Published 2:20 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Jeff Bezos is poised to emerge as the sole victor from the controversy engulfing the lavishly funded documentary, Melania, a project critics have derided as an embarrassing $75million "bribe" as it struggles to justify its cost.
Bezos, 62, Amazon’s executive chairman, backed the film about Melania Trump, 55, with an unprecedented $40million licensing deal, a decision that has triggered questions about motive, political access, and corporate judgment as the documentary heads toward a potentially dismal theatrical run.
Bezos backed the $75million 'Melania' documentary through a massive Amazon licensing deal.
The film opens this week in 3,300 cinemas across 30 countries, supported by a monster $35million global marketing campaign.
Doubts over how it will fare at the box office have soared after Ted Hope, a former Amazon film executive, said: "This has to be the most expensive documentary ever made that didn't involve music licensing. How can it not be equated with currying favor or an outright bribe?"
Thom Power, a documentary programmer, said the scale of Amazon's payment bore "no correlation to the marketplace," while late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has labelled it a "$75million bribe" to get Bezos top access to Trump.
Jeff Bezos’ White House Ties Exposed
Critics labeled the $40million payment to the First Lady a 'bribe' for political access.
Industry figures said the spending makes little commercial sense.
"From a business standpoint, it looks irrational. From a political standpoint, it looks calculated," one senior media analyst said.
The political optics have intensified scrutiny on the project.
Don Fox, former acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, warned the deal risks appearing "like it's buying access and buying favor," particularly given Amazon Web Services' federal contracts and Bezos' aerospace company, Blue Origin, holding billion-dollar Nasa deals.
Bezos has dined with President Donald Trump, 79, at Mar-a-Lago several times and donated $1million to the Republican's 2024 inauguration fund.
Yet Amazon's leadership has embraced the project.
Andy Jassy, the company's chief executive, and Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon Studios, attended a black-tie screening at the White House alongside Tim Cook, Queen Rania of Jordan, and boxer Mike Tyson.
But the film has become a lightning rod for criticism.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X: "So what is the president up to? Having a movie night at the White House."
Posters have been defaced, and cinema chains have reported complaints about their decisions to screen it.
Brett Ratner Directs 'Melania' Amid Industry Backlash
'Melania' director Brett Ratner has returned to filmmaking for the first time since his 2017 misconduct allegations.
Much of the controversy also surrounds director Brett Ratner.
A veteran agent said, "I thought I was being punked when I heard he was directing it." Ratner's career collapsed amid sexual misconduct allegations.
In 2017, seven women accused him of harassment, which he denied.
Warner Bros. cut ties with the Rush Hour filmmaker, and Ratner resigned from producing the Oscars, becoming largely exiled from Hollywood after widespread condemnation across the industry.
Crew members have also said the shoot was "highly disorganized" and "very chaotic," while a string of liberal-leaning staffers on the project demanded their names be removed from the credits.
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Box office analysts have predicted a dismal opening weekend of less than $5million domestically.
Box office forecasts suggested an opening weekend of $1million to $5million in the U.S. for the project. Tim Richards, chief executive of the Vue cinema chain, said ticket sales had been "soft."
Amazon insists the film will thrive on its streaming platform, saying: "We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only – because we think customers are going to love it."
For Bezos, allies argue, the impact is set to be different.
One Washington strategist said, "If this cements Bezos in Trump's inner circle, the return on investment dwarfs any theatrical loss. He will basically emerge as the winner from this box office disaster, as it will likely lead to more huge contracts for his companies from the Trump administration."
