The entire nation pulls the ‘Melania’ movie from every theater

First Lady Melania Trump’s upcoming documentary Melania Taken from theaters in South Africa.

Melania It was slated for local distribution in South Africa by Filmfinity and release in major cinemas in the country. Issues regarding the release were flagged at Filmfinity, which decided to knock it on Wednesday, according to a new report from Medas News.

“Based on recent developments, we have decided not to do a theatrical release in the region,” Filmfinity’s head of sales and distribution Thobashan Govindarajulu told the New York Times. Govindarajulu did not disclose the reason for the decision.

The film reportedly passed the country’s standard classification and regulatory approval processes, and secured bookings with South Africa’s two major movie theater chains, Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro.

Meidas News has expressed concern over how audiences will receive the documentary, which will be released in US theaters on January 30, given the Trump administration’s increasingly harsh immigration strategy.

The film’s release comes after federal immigration agents shot and killed two American citizens in Minneapolis just this month, 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretty and 37-year-old Minnesota mother Renee Nicole Good. Their killings have sparked outrage in the Twin Cities and widespread protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

More attention was paid to Melania The film’s association with a powerful political figure, South Africa’s propaganda-filled history and the use of media to create certain political perceptions, especially during apartheid. Local audiences in the country are particularly sensitive to media that highlights power and representation, industry insiders told Medas News.

Another issue that arose with the film’s South African distributors was that of the director MelaniaBrett Ratner. In 2017, several women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Ratner. Ratner has denied any wrongdoing.

The movie is not banned in the country and is available through other channels in South Africa.

The Daily Beast reached out to representatives Melania For comment.

The second Trump administration has had several notable interactions about South Africa. Before publicly falling out with former DOGE boss Elon Musk, Trump allowed dozens of white South Africans to claim refugee status in the US after Musk, a South African citizen, complained of persecution.

Trump has lashed out against the country, claiming his government is “killing white people, and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them.”

Billionaire Jeff Bezos, who helped Trump in his second inauguration, bought the rights to the film for $40 million through his Amazon MGM studio and reportedly spent an additional $35 million on marketing the film.

The film is being promoted as giving viewers “unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration — through the eyes of the First Lady herself.”

The first lady rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, ahead of the film’s release on Friday. The White House hosted a private screening of the film last weekend, and the documentary will have its red carpet premiere at the Kennedy Center on Thursday.

South African theaters decided to pull the film Melania This weekend is set to bomb at the box office.

Social media users scoffed at the lack of interest Melania Movie theaters across the US appear to have sold fewer tickets for the film’s opening night. Meanwhile, Trump said tickets to the movie “sell out, fast!” claimed.

About two-thirds of the crew members who worked on the film also said they did not want their names listed in the end credits, Rolling Stone reported. Crew members described the working environment as “very disorganized” and “very” chaotic.

One crew member said, “Unfortunately, if it flops, I’m going to feel really good about it.”