Amazon's new documentary Melania may be headed for an opening-weekend disaster.
As early ticket sales appear sluggish nationwide, a Craigslist ad found by producer Nate Gilbert offering free tickets plus $50 to anyone willing to sit through the film in Boston has gone viral.
Experts predict an opening weekend of $5 million max for the $75 million film.
"Attend MELANIA documentary at any Boston area theatre during opening weekend (this upcoming weekend)," the Craigslist ad reads. "Free tickets + $50 per seat occupied."
"Must remain in seats for entirety of film."
The discovery of this ad follows reports that Melania isn't selling tickets by its own merits.
"Not a single ticket sold for the opening night of Melania at Boston’s largest theater," Gilbert reported with screenshot evidence.
Others checked their own local theaters and often found similar results, with either no or just a few seats sold. Some claimed their locations were sold out, including MAGA user @GOPJosh20.
However, we at the Daily Dot took our own look at the Springfield, Ohio UEC theater and found many seats available on opening night.
These results seem to line up with CNN polling analyst Harry Enten's predictions that Melania would net between $1 million and $5 million. This is a substantial loss for Amazon, which paid $40 million for the rights to the film and another $35 million to promote it.
People check their local theaters for Melania seatings and post the results
Gilbert's findings launched something of a trend on X as people looked up available theater seats in their area. Retired Navy officer Travis Akers reported similar findings at a popular theater in the Jacksonville area.
Unsurprisingly, the film isn't doing any better internationally. Journalist Jack Quann found 13 seats sold across two Dublin theaters.
In Toronto's biggest theater, none at all so far, according to Canadian @WannaBeCritic88.
At least one New Yorker, however, has purchased a ticket in Staten Island.
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