Melania Trump Documentary Beats Tom Cruise Digger at Box…

Melania Trump Documentary Beats Tom Cruise Digger at Box Office

Melania Trump's documentary beat Tom Cruise's Digger at the box office — per theater — despite fewer screens. The numbers are real. The context is messy.

By The Long Shot13 Oct 20261 min read

Current hype level58

Tom Cruise’s Digger opened in nearly 1,500 more theaters than Melania Trump’s documentary — and still lost at the box office. According to a senior advisor to the first lady, MELANIA outperformed the action star’s latest film on a per-theater basis by about 67%. That’s despite playing in roughly half the number of screens.

The numbers come from Marc Beckman, who posted the claim on X, citing data that suggests the former first lady’s film earned more per venue. Digger, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and released under a major studio banner, pulled in just $20 million worldwide over its opening weekend, $8 million of it domestic. That’s Cruise’s weakest debut in nearly 20 years.

Industry sources suggest the film could lose up to $150 million even if it hits $50 million globally. Meanwhile, MELANIA, a nonfiction project helmed by Brett Ratner. His first film since 2014, grossed $16.7 million total during its theatrical run. Amazon spent $40 million on acquisition and another $35 million on marketing.

The film, which captures the days before Donald Trump’s inauguration, set a record for the biggest opening in a decade for a nonfiction title. But with production and promotion costs factored in, the financial outcome remains murky. Ratner, who has denied allegations from multiple women including Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, returns to directing after years of controversy.

And while Digger struggled to find an audience, the political doc’s performance sparked debate not just about box office math, but about what audiences are willing to pay to see a former first lady. Or a man in a digger suit. The next move? Wait for the full earnings report.

And see if anyone actually watches the movie.