Melania Trump’s Amazon documentary promises an ‘inside look’ at inauguration lead-up. Here’s what happened then and when you can watch it

A new documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration, will be exclusively released in theaters in January, Amazon MGM Studios announced.

The film, Melania, will offer “unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration – through the eyes of the First Lady-elect herself,” Amazon MGM Studios said.

Viewers can expect to see exclusive footage of “critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments” as Melania orchestrates inauguration plans and prepares to re-enter public life.

The documentary will be released in theaters on January 30, 2026. It is unclear when it will become available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Shortly before Trump was inaugurated, Amazon MGM Studios announced it had obtained rights to the documentary. Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon, was among the tech executives to donate to, and attend, Trump’s inauguration in Washington DC.

Puck News reported that Amazon paid $40 million to license the film.

The documentary will be directed by Brett Ratner, who previously made Rush Hour and The Family Man. The director had retreated from Hollywood in 2018, during #MeToo movement, after several women accused him of sexual misconduct. Ratner has denied allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment.

The first lady is serving as an executive producer on the documentary. “I had an idea to make a movie, to make a film, about my life,” Melania told Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt in January.

“My life is incredible. It’s incredibly busy, and I told my agent, you know, ‘I have this idea, so please, you know, go out and make a deal for me,’” Melania added.

Melania promises to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Mrs Trump’s life before entering the White House again. The first lady famously keeps a distance from her husband’s political life, making few public appearances. She splits her time between Washington D.C., Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City.

It’s unclear how far-reaching the access will be, given that Melania teased a similar level of transparency in her self-titled memoir that actually revealed very little about her personal life.

Filming for Melania began in December, roughly a month after Trump was elected. It’s unclear exactly what the documentary will show, but Melania gave some insights into her life during that transition period in January.

At the time, reports said Melania was “preparing intensively” to resume the role of first lady. A week before the inauguration, she told Earhardt she was “packed” and had picked out furniture she wanted to bring with her to the White House. Melania also hinted she was beginning to put together her East Wing team.

Melania also appeared to be preparing to announce her cryptocurrency memecoin, $Melania, which she and Trump launched publicly on Inauguration Day.

Having lived in White House for four years during her husband’s first term, Melania said that she was better prepared. “It’s a very different, a transition, this time, second time around," she told Earhardt.

But she also set expectations for her tenure, saying she planned to split her time to focus on being “a mom” in addition to first lady and a wife.

In addition to the documentary, Amazon is reportedly going to air a three-part docuseries about Melania’s life, splitting time between New York, Florida and D.C.

Viewers hoping to get a peek at Trump and Barron in Melania can expect to see brief appearances, according to reports.

The first lady, a former model, may also provide some insight on how she chose her inauguration day and inaugural ball outfits. Melania’s style, including her well-known array of hats, is the subject of much style commentary.

Melania was by Trump’s side as they went through the formalities of inauguration day, leading up to Trump’s swearing-in at the Capitol and the glitzy ball in the evening.

Since then, Melania has made formal appearances alongside her husband during a state visit to the United Kingdom, the White House Easter Egg Roll and the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

She has also hosted a roundtable to discuss educating children about artificial intelligence and signed legislation that intends to ban deepfake pornography. Most recently, Melania said she had been having discussions with Russian representatives to release Ukrainian children held captive in Russia.