Monday, July 6, 2026
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Melania documentary creators say its big price tag wasn’t bribery

The makers of Amazon's Melania documentary have defended its exorbitant cost following accusations of bribery to appease the Trump empire. Amazon paid $40 million to Melania Trump's production company for the film rights and another $35 million for marketing - making it one of the most expensive doc...

Melania documentary creators say its big price tag wasn’t bribery
Image: The Verge
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: (L-R) President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend Amazon MGM's "Melania" World Premiere at The Trump Kennedy Center on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The makers of Amazon's Melania documentary have defended its exorbitant cost following accusations of bribery to appease the Trump empire. Amazon paid $40 million to Melania Trump's production company for the film rights and another $35 million for marketing - making it one of the most expensive documentaries ever produced.

"I think it's silly because there's a feature film and three episodes," director Brett Ratner told Deadline at last night's premiere. "We spent more money on music in this than I did on Rush Hour. I mean, top of the line, three best cinematographers in the world, at the highest level. Eighty people on the first day of sh …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Originally published at The Verge

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