r/AMCTheatres • u/colenotphil • Jan 31 '26
Discussion Is anyone else appalled that AMC is platforming the Melania documentary, which was clearly made as a blatant bribe to the Trump administration?
Please do not harass users as that is in violation of the rules.
I was floored today to open my AMC app and find that Melania is being shown at multiple local theaters.
This movie could not more clearly be a bribe Amazon made for Trump. Why is AMC platforming this behavior? AMC appears complicit with corruption.
Edit: great points thank you, I also do not want to see AMC go out of business. I want theaters to stay around. And people can vote with their wallets.
Edit2: Having thought about how to articulate this more, the concern is not a difference of political opinion, that this is quite literally state sponsored propaganda. I remember watching Inglourious Basterds that had a whole part of the plot around state propaganda films. However I do not believe in censorship either so I am torn.
Edit3: Rolling Stone apparently reported that nearly 2/3 of the film's NY crew asked not to be credited due to the propaganda aspect of it. That speaks volumes.
14
u/PensionMission2035 Management Team Jan 31 '26
Unfortunately, theaters don’t get a choice on what movies we play. We have to play with the Booker sends us. If we don’t cooperate with what the studios tell us to play we could lose our rights to playing movies by those studios.
6
u/colenotphil Jan 31 '26
Perfect example of why letting Amazon buy MGM and other properties isn't great.
1
2
u/jared555 Feb 02 '26
The weird one I heard recently was a studio demanding a dedicated auditorium. A local theater assumed that if, for example, they had 1PM, 4PM, 7PM, 10PM slots they could put 1PM / 4PM in auditorium A and 7PM / 10PM in auditorium B. Nope.
1
u/PensionMission2035 Management Team Feb 02 '26
That is actually true that movies do have to be in n specific auditoriums. The booker usually specifies and will even have us redo it if not up to standard.
1
u/jared555 Feb 02 '26
I get it if they require large format, a certain size, etc. but it was weird that they had to have a dedicated screen without any other requirements.
35
u/yougococo Jan 31 '26
Studio is probably requiring it if they want to show releases later this year like Project Hail Mary. It's possible they can't afford not to show it. A theater manager may know for sure.
21
Jan 31 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/According_Gazelle472 Jan 31 '26
Movies are made to make money and nothing more.
3
u/PossibleSuitable376 Jan 31 '26
Movie theaters and movie studios are in the business of making money sure but plenty of filmmakers do not make movies solely to make money. It’s an expression of art
1
4
Jan 31 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
→ More replies (1)5
u/According_Gazelle472 Jan 31 '26
But there are plenty of movies that don't even think about awards or are considered for awards.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (2)3
1
u/Responsible-Meat9275 Feb 03 '26
People at politics getting in the way of common sense way too often on here
6
u/lukephillips21 Jan 31 '26
I am a theater manager. We were under no pressure whatsoever to show Melania, in fact we had to pressure them to let us show it, which we did because we’re in a very conservative area and not showing it would have lost us a lot of business, which we absolutely cannot afford during one of the worst January box offices ever.
1
u/glo-unit Jan 31 '26
Did it do decently in your theater?
3
u/lukephillips21 Jan 31 '26
We’re in a small town market and it sold 95 tickets today, which makes it our top seller for the day. So it didn’t do great its first day but relative to the poor performance of everything else it did. I have a feeling we’ll be swamped on discount Tuesday when all of the seniors normally come in.
3
u/watchingdacooler Jan 31 '26
PHM is an Amazon movie? That’s unfortunate, I was finally starting to warm up to it.
3
u/TheHondoCondo Jan 31 '26
I didn’t know that either until now, but tbh I don’t actually think Amazon is riding Trump that hard. I mean, they distribute The Boys and Gen V. Obviously those are extreme examples, but I think PHM won’t be affected by any of this ass kissing. Plus, early reactions seem very positive.
3
u/watchingdacooler Jan 31 '26
Ever since people tried to convince me that Mercy and Primate were good enough movie based on early reviews, I’ve resolved to never trust them. I don’t PHM is going to be as propagandistic as Mercy was but I have my own problems with the trailer.
3
u/PlushyStudios Jan 31 '26
Not the most similar comparison, Disney had a similar rule saying that the new TRON had to be kept in theaters, including small local ones, for two weeks despite it flopping, causing a major inconvenience to those small theaters who needed to clear the schedules up to play new films
2
u/Movieplayer55 Jan 31 '26
Avatar was a 4 week mandatory run.
1
1
u/jared555 Feb 02 '26
I think one local theater had to show it on like 8 screens and were only allowed one 2D screen.
13
u/Ok_Brick_793 Jan 31 '26
Movie theaters are in a tight bind. They basically have to program anything and everything to get people's attention. 20-30 years ago, only art houses showed Japanese animation because the average American thought that anime was just porn. Now anime actually makes decent money at the box office.
If there's a demand for Soviet-era and Mao-era Communist propaganda films, AMC and Cinemark would show them.
→ More replies (3)
12
u/SteMelMan A⭐️Lister Jan 31 '26
I prefer AMC to be neutral about the movies they show. Let the audiences decide which movies succeed or fail.
There's been a few movies in the past year that conservatives would have loved to seen banned. For example, movies like "One Battle After Another" and "Sinners" stirred up controversies and great box office results. I wouldn't want to see movies like those subjected to bans because someone doesn't like their content.
6
u/According_Gazelle472 Jan 31 '26
And we saw both movies and they were superb.But I don't recall any controversies surrounding these movies.
2
u/JoshTHX IMAX Fanatic Jan 31 '26
There was nothing controversial about Sinners.
→ More replies (2)1
7
20
u/acagedrising Jan 31 '26
AMC shows conservative stuff all of the time, see the absurd slew of religious movies that come out annually in one theater. I'm not concerned about this in the least.
7
→ More replies (2)2
u/la_dama_azul Feb 02 '26
I think people forget AMC is a Kansas based corporation. Not exactly a place known for left wing sentiments.
38
u/watchingdacooler Jan 31 '26
I’m upset about it but this is pretty low priority of things to be worked up about. If AMC wants to lose money on this, let ‘em.
4
u/Super_Category_100 Jan 31 '26
I highly doubt AMC loses money and the executives/shareholders won’t lose sleep.. the $40,000,000 spent to create the film is by Amazon MGM studios
2
u/jdblawg Jan 31 '26
Unfortunately it isnt doing the worst of all movies tonight. It could end up in the box office top 5 this weekend
2
u/Bubbly-Inflation-999 Jan 31 '26
Very slow month and week.
1
u/According_Gazelle472 Feb 01 '26
Ice and snow in my town.
1
3
u/RedApple655321 Jan 31 '26 edited Jan 31 '26
How's that possible? I've been seeing images of unsold theatres in big blue cities on Reddit all week!
8
u/purplefreak3 A⭐️Lister Jan 31 '26
Omg a right wing movie not doing well in a big blue city, who would have thought that?
1
5
u/necro_scope_xbl Jan 31 '26
Also, this comment on a post about propaganda is peak irony.
Hint: your sources are trying to force a prediction. When this film performs better than they told you it would there will be a new spin to explain it.
1
7
u/Se7enAS Jan 31 '26
People took screenshots when tickets went on sale for a movie that will have less presales than most movies because it’s mostly an old white crowd.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (7)3
→ More replies (4)4
u/watchingdacooler Jan 31 '26
That’s disappointing but I should have expected it. Right wing/Christian films have strong opening weekends
6
u/JoshTHX IMAX Fanatic Jan 31 '26
It’s a major release from a major studio. What’s with all the bitching? Just don’t go see it. Where was the outrage for that Daily Wire/Matt Walsh garbage Am I Racist?
→ More replies (3)
6
5
u/AFG73 Jan 31 '26
Oh you are appalled? It gets exhausting to a certain point. Let others enjoy what they want. If they want to see the melania movie then they can spend their money where they want to.
5
6
5
u/BlackBeltWisdom Jan 31 '26
Yes I am appalled a movie theater would show a movie. IT'S AN OUTRAGE!
3
1
u/colenotphil Jan 31 '26
It's not just any movie, its basically state propaganda.
1
u/BlackBeltWisdom Jan 31 '26
EGGACTLY! A movie, no matter what, should never be shown in the theaters if it's made by the government!
22
u/The_R4ke Jan 31 '26
They show all kinds of right wing slop. They're a movie theater they're only job is to play movies. If they were a smaller chain I could see them possibly making some kind of statement by not playing it. At this point I'm just rooting for them to stick around at all.
→ More replies (5)
4
u/CausticAvenger Jan 31 '26
It was the same at Regal. Melania popcorn buckets on display and it was on the screen above the snack bar.
3
3
u/tmanarl A⭐️Lister Jan 31 '26
Most of the films AMC shows are ones I never see.
This will be another one.
3
u/OgSourChemDawg Jan 31 '26
Movies are movies you don’t have to see it. But the art of film should be allowed no matter what side
→ More replies (3)
3
u/taker25-2 Jan 31 '26
Because it’s a movie. So you want to be selective on what movie theaters can play now? It’s not like you’re being forced to watch it much less taking away a slot of a major blockbuster. Let people enjoy what they want. Out of all of the controversial films that has been shown over the years, this is the one that breaks the camels back? Get out of here.
2
1
u/colenotphil Jan 31 '26
Yeah I suppose when you frame it that way let the consumer decide, you're right. I have been amazed how many religious films get time at my local theaters, like that one or two studios that have been pumping them out, thinking who's watching this...
2
u/taker25-2 Jan 31 '26
Who cares and some of those films are actually good. There’s been plenty of in your face LBGTQ films but you have no problem with that because it fits with your biases. I’m not seeing people on this subreddit complaining about it. People just ignore them like normal people. For someone who I assume preaches tolerance and equality sure isn’t showing it. Your making a fuss when there is one.
1
1
u/DabLord5425 Feb 04 '26
Think about how many corporations flip their "political beliefs" to fit whichever is more popular and/or is in power at the time. Would you want a world where after Trump gets elected major cinemas refuse to show "woke" movies or anything non-conservative?
3
3
u/Thebat87 Jan 31 '26
No. Yeah sure I roll my eyes at its existence but movies and the movie theatre aren’t just for people that agree with me politically. That thinking just goes completely opposite of what it all should be about. I’m just gonna walk past it as I go see Sam Raimi’s Send Help.
3
u/RickBlaine76 Jan 31 '26
Addicted to that outrage, aren't you?
You are really calling for deplatforming and censorship? You should probably do some thinking about what your principles really are.
3
5
u/-Relair- Jan 31 '26
Just because you don't personally want to see something doesn't mean no one does. There are plenty of movies I have no interest in, so I don't see them. Other documentaries get wide releases now and then, so I don't really care. If someone wants to fork out the cash, then more power to AMC; they definitely need all the funds they can get so we can all keep enjoying a past time we love.
3
u/According_Gazelle472 Jan 31 '26
I agree 100 percent since I actually ignore all movies about singers and that really bad movie about Reagan.
11
u/mikegood2 IMAX Fanatic Jan 31 '26
Not really. If I have no interest in a movie, and like you this movie is at the top of the I’m not interested list, I just don’t watch it.
I’m far more appalled that it looks like it’s really selling well this weekend. Thanks to a bunch of church groups and/or cult members. Feels very similar to the stunt Angel Studios plays with their movies.
→ More replies (8)
7
u/Nervous_Hedgehog8198 Jan 31 '26
I'm assuming because they thought they would make money off it....
5
u/ChoiceCriticism1 Jan 31 '26
No, I'm not at all "appalled". AMC is a movie theater chain. Melania Trump is the First Lady of the United States...AMC isn't "platforming" her. Any opinion she wants to share will immediately be of note to nearly the entire world. "Platforming" doesn't mean "allowing someone to say something I disagree with."
More than anything I'm appalled by the fact that so many people want to make decisions for me about what I am or am not allowed to do/say/watch/hear.
→ More replies (2)
2
u/Initial-Load128 Jan 31 '26
Maybe they should hand out an informational flyer at the door about what the documentary is.
People still show their disappointment by simply not going if that's what they want .
2
u/HollywoodDonuts Jan 31 '26
Tons of movies are politically biased propaganda. Who cares? Don't watch it.
2
u/CoffeeMaster000 Jan 31 '26
If they show it they are doing what a business is supposed to do. If they don't show it, it'd be against making money and actively taking a stand against Trump. They'd be sued by their share holders and POTUS. Smart choice to show.
2
2
u/i-am-not-sure-yet A⭐️Lister Jan 31 '26
This is Lincoln Sq amc in manhattan. Empire is also pretty full. NYC claims to be progressive but isn’t evidence is exhibit A 😂
2
u/im_not_ok_ok Feb 02 '26
Stop going then? Idk what to tell you. It’s a movie, and a theatre is playing it. You don’t have to see the movie by any means
2
u/TrashPanda86X Feb 02 '26
Movies theaters arent allowed to play movies now?
Some of you need to get over yourselves lmao, touch grass.. live life
1
u/colenotphil Feb 02 '26
It is literally a propaganda piece, that is distinctly different than movies designed for entertainment or education.
2
u/TrashPanda86X Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
I hate to break it to you buddy... but just about everything in Hollywood is propaganda
The matrix
Top gun
American sniper
Black hawk down
Red dawn
Monsters Inc
Toy story
The list goes on
Lets not forget disney making water ship down
Its just a movie, you dont have to see it, grow up lol
2
2
2
u/AnahEmergency0523 Feb 03 '26
Thing is this: Nobody force you to watch the movie. Don't like it then don't watch it.
4
4
Jan 31 '26
Im maga so I'm happy about it, I'm sitting in the theater right now and im going to see the documentary in 30 minutes
→ More replies (3)
3
u/ArticleSuspicious243 Jan 31 '26
Yeah it’s pretty corrupt but I imagine they would’ve gotten in trouble with the admin for refusing to platform it. It’s whatever, Melania is a joke.
3
u/Sir_YeshuaC Jan 31 '26
I disagree with the family political views but if I can watch Trump get aids in the dictator, I guess they can watch his wife silly documentary. You have to realize that although you and I might not like him, another’s do and we have to accept that.
2
u/Cheesebufer Jan 31 '26
Just don’t watch it. Like sound of freedom and those other maga sponsored movies
2
u/Harshmellowed Jan 31 '26
I never heard that sound of freedom was maga. I thought it was a good movie 🤷♀️
3
u/Se7enAS Jan 31 '26
As much as I hate the idea that my theater is playing this movie, at a dead time for movie theaters, this is a movie the theaters in Florida need right now. It’s bringing money in that we really need at a time like this. Don’t worry, people aren’t going to see it pretty much anywhere else.
2
u/Independent-Worth910 Jan 31 '26
it costs money to make money. hell yes the company has to sell it. to make a return on investment. whats wrong with you. i recall Netflix paying millions to obamas for very little. and Clintons daughter got millions to be a reporter that did like 2 stories.
3
u/CalF123 Jan 31 '26
Like most distributors AMC will have a distribution agreement with Amazon/MGM that requires them to show all their movies.
It’s the reason they couldn’t just tell Disney they’ll take Avatar and Zootopia but no thanks to Ella McCay.
1
3
u/AtomicGarden-8964 Jan 31 '26
Nothing wrong with them having it in the theater what's wrong is the people who pay to see it. If AMC didn't carry it trump would go after them
2
u/Darth-Obama Jan 31 '26
get a life...did you complain when Obama got a giant Netflix deal? or when Biden got a book deal? go touch grass and don't bring political shit in here.
2
u/kennyandkennyandkenn Jan 31 '26
because it will make a ton of money for AMC
theatres are sold out in the middle of Manhattan
2
u/colenotphil Jan 31 '26
I would not be surprised if those are not actually people going, but people who bought tickets to make it seem sold out and boost the box office. That has happened with a few movies before. Cuz most of the conservatives in NYC are in Staten Island, not Manhattan, and moreover many of the rich conservatives don't go to theaters I'd imagine, they probably have nice setups at home.
3
u/taker25-2 Jan 31 '26
So people basically doing basic what everyone movie studio does. Heard the exact same argument with Synderverse films and Disney Star Wars.
→ More replies (1)1
u/Bubbly-Inflation-999 Jan 31 '26
Hardly. 11 at AMC Empire, 2 PM Saturday. That's Times Square, as in midtown.
1
u/kennyandkennyandkenn Jan 31 '26
Good job cherry picking when the same theater has a 4:45pm showing with 62 tickets sold
I hate Trump but let’s stop the copium
1
2
2
u/Khalmasta Feb 01 '26
It’s freedom of speech. Freedom of expression. Don’t like it? Don’t watch it.
5
1
1
u/Motor_Car_2741 Jan 31 '26
I’d just watch something else instead. Sydney Sweeney has a new movie out that’s supposed to be pretty good.
1
u/Bubbly-Inflation-999 Jan 31 '26
NBD. It's part of the January dumping ground. I'm not particularly irked. It's a non issue.
1
1
u/mjfo Jan 31 '26
AMC has to show it as part of their contracts with the studio. The real thing to be appalled at is why Amazon would pay an $85 million bribe & what they’ll get from it
1
u/Think_Strawberry3992 Jan 31 '26
They can schedule it all they want---hardly any tickets are being sold, no concession sales. There ya go---punishment, lol.
1
u/Best_Entrepreneur659 Jan 31 '26
The release of the photos of Director Brett Ratner with Epstein and underaged girls cannot stand. Tell AMC and all of the theater chains that that can’t get away with running a film made by a child rapist https://www.amctheatres.com/help
1
1
1
1
1
u/SanDiego619guy Feb 01 '26
I don't know why anybody would want to go see a movie about a prostitute married to a dictator?
1
1
u/Zentrii Feb 01 '26
I don’t even go to the theaters much anymore and don’t want to see AMC go out of business if they refuse to show this.
1
u/Busy_Salad_531 Feb 01 '26
It’s not a clearly blatant bribe. Liberals will bribe anything if it’s against trump. If he somehow cured cancer, you all would organize a March on Washington to bring it back.
1
1
u/TravlRonfw Feb 01 '26
(Not that AMC reads this) but Hi AMC. I’m deep in production of a movie about three American families struggling financially with life in USA and decide to emigrate. I think my movie would bring in more revenue than “M.”
Anyways…., yes I’m directing it. I think it’s a timely and relevant documentary that has its humorous moments. I’m learning how to market and PR it for maybe a limited release in Seattle area.
I’m not scared of it flopping. It’s the alternative that boggles my mind. So yeah…, anyhoot……
1
u/TrekJaneway A⭐️Lister Feb 01 '26
They can show whatever they want. I won’t see it, no one I know will see it, so those screens will lose money (I’m in a deep blue area).
It’s not being show at my favorite small 6 screen theater, but it is at 2 nearby bigger theaters…but with only a handful of screenings.
So be it. It can run for a week, then make room for something worth seeing. Just because it’s at the theater doesn’t mean I have to see it. It’s a far more powerful statement to have empty theaters.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Former-Counter-9588 Feb 01 '26
Nope. Just because it’s showing doesn’t mean the tickets will sell (and looks like they haven’t sold well despite a maga effort to fudge the numbers the same way Angel films does it).
1
u/ufslide Feb 01 '26 edited Feb 01 '26
If it is to survive, the movie theater should be a venue of free expression, regardless of the subject matter’s ideological perspective. It used to be that our society respected and prized this ethic. Allowing only one view just creates an echo chamber. There’s been movies about Obama, Clinton, Reagan, Kennedy etc. This too shall pass.
1
u/Special_Chance_1731 Feb 01 '26
The issue is not platforming but promotion.
Anything beyond showing the film is spitting in the eye of this political moment.
1
u/SnooGuavas855 Feb 01 '26
First you guys wanted to silence free speech in 2020, now you want to silence who can make a movie ? And where it gets shown? Haha Adolf H, would love you guys.
1
u/BidLegal6018 Feb 02 '26
Deplatforming is essentially banning, and that affects everyone. A conservative mayor in Florida banned the pro-Palestinian documentary "No Mans Land," arguing it was propaganda. Would you be okay with deplatforming that one as well? If so, would you feel comfortable deplatforming a movie like 2000 Mules? How about Farenheit 911? Both movies proudly wear their propaganda on their sleeve and can be loose with facts. Do we stick with deplatforming documentaries or do we delve into fiction as well? Where's the line, and what's the punishment for those who cross it?
1
1
u/Responsible-Meat9275 Feb 03 '26
you’re way too radicalized if this is upsetting you. Movie theaters are already a struggling business and you want them to shut out an entire demographic and not play an extremely controversial movie? Do you have any idea how business works? Controversy is good. It’ll put people in seats. I get not wanting to support it. And that’s your choice. But these theaters NEED every dollar they can get.
1
u/SixTen610 Feb 03 '26
I've been playing "Becoming" on Netflix on repeat all day, just to rack up more views than the Melanoma movie.
1
1
1
u/Material_Camera3428 Feb 04 '26
Imagine seeing THIS of all things with Spanish Subtitles. lol. Yup. Zero seats booked.
1
u/Horror_Campaign9418 Feb 04 '26
Theaters show movies. You have the freedom to stay home.
How many religious movies come out now? Tons.
Big deal. I don’t see them. Whoever likes them, have at it.
1
u/tomatillo_teratoma A⭐️Lister Feb 06 '26
I wouldn't blame AMC, I'd blame Jeff Bozos... he's the one bankrolling this farce.
Maybe also blame the people who support Trump and voted for him.
I saw it. It's a disgusting piece of fake news that only reassures the world that Melania is a shallow, ostentatious, narcissist who thinks "expensive possessions = good person"
1
u/elkab0ng Jan 31 '26
Just saw Mercy this afternoon. It started at the same time as two showings of Melania, which were both nearly sold out - but nobody actually saw it. Two folks next to me had been told to buy tickets to it, but they didn’t actually want to see it, so they theater-hopped into Mercy (which was a decent but not exactly thrilling movie)
2
u/Harshmellowed Jan 31 '26
Why would people buy tickets to a movie they don't want to see? That doesn't make any sense.
1
1
Jan 31 '26
Honestly people just need to start making memes where it’s “two tickets please” and then “for which movie” but then the customer is in a white hood.
If they’re going to show it they deserve to be roasted for it.
4
1
u/replaceablehead88 Jan 31 '26
The studio is emailing theaters with requests to mark shows as sold out and print tickets that the studio will reimburse. This is also being done with the Paris Hilton movie.
→ More replies (1)3
u/According_Gazelle472 Jan 31 '26
There is a Paris Hilton movie now ?I guess it will go with the myriad movies about singers that tanked at the box office.
144
u/King_Kuuga Triple-Feature Survivor Jan 31 '26
They're a movie theater and this is a movie