By Trendsetter Tribune 
The Lake Theater & Café in Lake Oswego, Oregon, became the latest battleground in the polarized reception of the new documentary “Melania” on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. After the theater used its marquee to poke fun at the film and its subject, Amazon MGM Studios revoked the venue’s screening rights, effective immediately.
The documentary, which cost Amazon an estimated $75 million to acquire and market, has been a lightning rod for controversy since its January 30 release.
The Jokes That Ended the Run
The neighborhood cinema, known for its “anti-establishment” and witty marquee messages, drew the ire of Amazon executives with two specific slogans:
- “Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday!”
- “To defeat your enemy, you must know them. Melania.” (A riff on Sun Tzu’s The Art of War)
Manager Jordan Perry reported that he received a call from the “higher-ups” at Amazon who were unappreciative of his marketing style. Following the cancellation of all remaining Sunday and weekday showings, Perry updated the marquee to a final, biting message:
“Amazon called. Our marquee made them mad. All Melania showings cancelled. Show your support at Whole Foods instead. Join Amazon Prime for Free Two-Day Shipping.”
A “Vanity Piece” in a Financial Desert
In a blog post explaining the decision to book the film, Perry was candid about the theater’s motivations. He described January as a “financial desert” for independent cinemas and thought showing the “inexplicable vanity piece” would be “exponentially weirder, to the point of being funny.”
- Financial Breakdown: Perry noted that for every $11 ticket sold, $5.50 went directly to Amazon. He joked that the theater had contributed exactly $196 to the “Jeff Bezos Trust Fund” during the film’s brief run.
- Community Backlash: The theater also received numerous emails from local patrons questioning why the “obviously anti-establishment” venue was screening what some critics have called “pure propaganda.”
“Melania” by the Numbers
Despite the drama in Lake Oswego and scathing reviews (the film currently holds a 5% to 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), the documentary has been a commercial success by non-concert documentary standards.
| Metric | Figure |
| Opening Weekend (U.S.) | $7 Million (3rd place overall) |
| Acquisition Cost | $40 Million |
| Marketing Budget | $35 Million |
| Melania Trump’s Reported Cut | ~$28 Million |
| Director | Brett Ratner |
The film’s $7 million opening is the largest for a non-music documentary in 14 years, largely driven by strong turnout in “red zone” counties.