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Tag: Brett Ratner

  • Melania Movie Review: All the Money In the World Can’t Make Good Propaganda

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    Melania, Brett Ratner’s Melania Trump movie, is a purportedly serious film that plays like a mockumentary. If you were making a movie that parodied the current first lady of the United States, I’m not sure what you’d do differently.

    This interminable, nearly two-hour long film features a running voiceover by Melania, leading us through crucial moments in the twenty days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration: choosing fabric for her coat, making sure her dress is the right length, approving a design plan for the dinner, and perusing furniture for Barron’s future bedroom. (Sadly, we never get to see which chest of drawers she picks.) “My creative vision is always clear,” she intones, returning to that notion throughout.

    This is a work of propaganda, but director Brett Ratner is no Leni Riefenstahl. Missing are the German filmmaker’s awe-inspiring visuals and hypnotic edits; instead, Ratner substitutes endless shots of the gaudy, excessive Trump aesthetic as Melania floats through Trump Tower, private jets, motorcades, and gala dinners until she lands at the White House. The doc’s opening shot is a panorama of Mar-a-Lago in all its gilded glory, accompanied by the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.” “Rape, murder, it’s just a shot away,” Jagger’s voice promises.

    Before he was exiled from Hollywood by sexual assault accusations (he has denied the claims), Ratner was best known for directing the Rush Hour movies—so I at least expected propulsive pacing and drama. No such luck: We might as well be watching gold paint dry.

    It’s hard to tell whether Melania herself finds it all as dull as I did: she remains inscrutable through most of the film, her face frozen into an elegant mask. The only times she genuinely lights up are when Ratner coaxes her to sing along with her favorite song, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” and later while dancing to the Village People’s “YMCA” at an inaugural event. At several points Melania refers to the death of her mother with sadness, and even has the cameras trail her to St Patrick’s Cathedral, where she lights candles. But throughout, there is no perceptible change in her demeanor.

    That departure could’ve been a great segue into a segment about Melania’s past—her childhood in Slovenia, her modeling career, background information that might give context to her transformation into Trump’s consort. But instead, the doc sticks with the minutiae of the march toward Trump’s second term. Unmentioned is the January 6th, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol; instead, the camera just pans over images of the Capitol preparing for the inauguration—now a symbol of Trump’s triumphal power.

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  • Melania Trump Says Her Documentary Is Not a Documentary

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    The Trumps.
    Photo: Craig Hudson/Variety via Getty Images

    Like an art-school student talking about their first animated short, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump is promising to defy genre conventions. At the premiere of her new nonfiction film Melania at the (Trump-)Kennedy Center, FLOTUS tried to explain that the film, which she executive-produced, was not what it appeared to be. “Some have called this a documentary,” Trump said onstage while presenting the film, per the New York Times. “It is not.” Okay, then what is this thing? “It is a creative experience that offers perspectives, insights, and moments,” Trump said.

    The “creative experience” was directed by Brett Ratner, who was accused of sexual harassment and misconduct by six women in 2017, and goes into wide release this weekend. It is Ratner’s first project since being dropped from his Warner Bros. partnership after the allegations surfaced, and his next will be Rush Hour 4, which President Trump reportedly pushed Paramount to make. Melania is currently aiming to make $3 to $5 million in box-office returns on opening weekend, per Variety. That’s frankly a disastrous amount for Amazon after it spent $75 million on the project. Trump herself is not worried. “I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may don’t like it, and that’s their choice,” she told CNN on the red carpet. She added, “We achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.” Just two opening-day screenings in the country, one in Florida and one in Missouri, were entirely sold-out, per Wired. That’s 1/25 a Charli XCX.

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    Jason P. Frank

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  • Inside the White House Screening for Amazon’s ‘Melania’ Doc (Exclusive Photos)

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    On Saturday night, as a major snowstorm hit much of the United States, and Minneapolis erupted in violence after the ICE shooting of a protestor,  First Lady Melania Trump and director Brett Ratner held a private screening of their upcoming doc, Melania, at the White House.

    The black-tie event, which was not promoted or advertised, took place in the East Room of the White House and attracted about 70 VIP guests, including Queen Rania of Jordan; Zoom CEO Eric Yuan; Apple CEO Tim Cook; New York Stock Exchange CEO Lynn Martin; AMD CEO Lisa Su; Mike Tyson; socialite and Fiat heiress Azzi Agnelli; self-help guru Tony Robbins; fashion designer Adam Lippes; and photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who shot the poster for the film.

    Presidential progeny Barron Trump and Ratner’s mother, Marsha Presman, were also in attendance along with Amazon Studios chief Mike Hopkins, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and Marc Beckman, a senior adviser and longtime manager to the First Lady who was reportedly involved in every aspect of the project. But major Trump officials and cabinet members were notably absent.

    Sources say nobody outside of Melania, Ratner and a small group of their associates had seen the movie before the screening, including the president and his advisers. 

    The controversial Amazon-funded documentary, which opens nationwide in theaters on Jan. 30, tracks 20 days in Melania’s life from Trump’s 2025 presidential campaign to Inauguration Day. A source close to the first lady indicates that Ratner spent months living at Mar-a-Lago during the film’s shooting. It’s Ratner’s first major movie since he was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment close to a decade ago.

    Guests were welcomed to the Saturday screening by a full military band playing famous movie tunes and “Melania’s Waltz,” a song composed for the film by Hollywood composer Tony Neiman. According to one invitee, guests were also treated to commemorative black and white popcorn boxes; framed, collectable screening tickets; and “take home cookies” bearing the first lady’s name. A limited-edition version of her bestselling Melania was also gifted to attendees.

    But since THR’s exclusive report on the screening was published Saturday night, the White House and many of Melania’s guests have faced fierce criticism for going ahead with the event despite ongoing fallout from the murder of an anti-ICE protestor in Minnesota. (The screening was scheduled months before the shooting.)

    Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to X to slam the event writing, “Today DHS assassinated a VA nurse in the street, Bondi is attempting to extort voter files, and half the country is bracing on the eve of a potentially crippling ice storm with FEMA gutted. So what is the President up to? Having a movie night at the White House. He’s unfit.” Apple’s Tim Cook and other CEOs also came under fire, especially Amazon’s Jassy, who is said to have personally approved the company’s massive $40 million payout for the doc.

    Despite the criticism, however, Melania seemed pleased with the event, writing on X: “I am deeply humbled to have been surrounded by an inspiring room of friends, family, and cultural iconoclasts at the White House last night. Each of these individuals brought their unique vision to the world, making a lasting impression. Our personal stories endure time and serve as a reminder of our mutual obligation to one another. It was an honor to present my new film, Melania, ahead of its global launch.”

    Ahead of the film’s release, the first lady is reportedly scheduled to ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Melania, along with the president and 1,000 other guests, will also attend a the film’s premiere on Thursday night at Washington’s Kennedy Center, while the film also rolls out in 20 cities nationwide 

    Below, THR shares exclusive photos from the event.

    Regine Mahaux

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    Lexy Perez

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  • Melania Trump Announces Muse Films Production Company

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    First Lady Melania Trump has launched her own production company.

    Announced on Trump’s official social media channels on Friday, the First Lady shared that she has launched Muse Films. The announcement comes ahead of the release of the Amazon MGM Studios feature documentary about her, Melania.

    “PRESENTING: MUSE FILMS My new production company,” Trump wrote alongside a video that showcased the company’s logo. “MELANIA, the film, exclusively in theaters worldwide on January 30th, 2026.”

    Muse was reportedly the Secret Service code name for Trump during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

    The Melania doc from director Brett Ratner — his first film since he was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment — has been produced with Trump’s participation. The film will later be accompanied by a three-part docuseries.

    “Melania offers unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration — through the eyes of the First Lady-elect herself,” the official logline describes of the doc. “Step inside Melania Trump’s world as she orchestrates inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the White House transition and re-enters public life with her family. With exclusive footage capturing critical meetings, private conversations and never-before-seen environments, Melania showcases Mrs. Trump’s return to one of the world’s most powerful roles.”

    Amazon will release the film exclusively in theaters in the U.S. and select territories overseas on Jan. 30, 2026.

    Trump is serving as an executive producer on the doc, along with Fernando Sulichin, who produced Oliver Stone’s Snowden and Sean Penn’s Flag Day. 

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    Lexy Perez

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  • Melania Trump Announces New Production Company

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    Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    Michelle Obama had a kitchen garden, Nancy Reagan had “Just Say No.” Melania Trump has a vanity shingle. The FLOTUS announced her new production company, Muse Films, on social media Black Friday. She’s just the latest political figure to go Hollywood. Biden signed with CAA after leaving office, and the Obamas had their Netflix overall deal in 2021. But Melania isn’t waiting until her husband’s out of office to get this ball rolling. The company takes its name from Melania Trump’s secret service code name during the first Trump admin. Presumably she has a new one now.

    The first film released by Muse will be the documentary Melania. The film depicts the 20 days before Trump’s second inauguration. Directed by Brett Ratner of all people, Melania comes to theaters and Amazon Prime Video in 2026. Amazon paid $40 million for the privilege of streaming the film on their platform.

    It’s possible Muse will be involved in the newly announced (presidentially-mandated?) Rush Hour 4. Paramount has agreed to distribute RH4 after Donald Trump personally requested a revival of the franchise, per Semafor. Melania is Ratner’s first feature film since 2014’s Hercules. In 2017, he was accused of sexual misconduct by six women, including Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge. Variety reports that many distributors didn’t want to touch Rush Hour 4 due to Ratner’s involvement.

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    Bethy Squires

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  • Melania, Brett Ratner’s Documentary About Melania Trump, Takes a Page from Melania and Melania

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    The documentary will also reportedly be supported by a three-part making-of docuseries about the documentary, which according to a representative at Amazon was filmed “during the 20 days before the inauguration, while she travels between New York City, Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C.” What will they call it? Melania and Melania are taken.

    The rights to the documentary, on which Melania is credited as an executive producer, were bought for $40 million by Jeff Bezos in December 2024 before Trump took office, the Wall Street Journal reported. Sources with knowledge of the deal said that Melania will see some 70% of that fee.

    In January, Melania told Fox News that the response to her book was so positive that people wanted to see more about her life.

    “My life is incredible, it’s incredibly busy, and I told my agent, I have this idea so please, you know, go out and make a deal for me,” she said. The film, she said then, will be about her “day-to-day life, what I’m doing, what kind of responsibilities I have. It’s day to day, from transition team to moving to the White House, packing, establishing my team, the First Lady office, moving into the White House, what it takes to make the residence your home, to hire the people that you need.”

    Representatives from the White House and Skyhorse Publishing did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s requests for comment.

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    Kase Wickman

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  • Matt Bomer Says He Lost Out On Playing Superman After Being Outed

    Matt Bomer Says He Lost Out On Playing Superman After Being Outed

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    There have been as many failed attempts to get Superman onto the silver screen as there are Superman movies that actually made it—but Superman: Flyby is perhaps one of the most infamous, just for the sheer capacity of what-could-have-beens with the amount of people up for the titular heroic role. Matt Bomer was the man who flew closest to Krypton—but believes that he ultimately lost out for being in the closet.

    What Does James Gunn Want from His Superman Movie? | io9 Interview

    “I went in on a cattle call for Superman, and then it turned into a one-month audition experience where I was auditioning again and again and again. It looked like I was the director’s choice for the role. This was a very early iteration of Superman written by J.J. Abrams, called Superman: Flyby, and it never came to light,” Bomer recently reflected on an episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. At the time, the project known as Flyby was being helmed by Brett Ratner, who’d been hired by Warner to make the movie in 2002. Ratner saw Bomer as his perfect choice for Clark Kent, with the actor noting that he ultimately had signed a three-picture deal. Things fell apart, and Ratner went on to leave the project himself shortly thereafter—but Bomer believes that his sexuality played a part in why the studio was suddenly disinterested in him being the new Man of Steel.

    “That was a time in the industry when something like that could still really be weaponized against you,” Bomer, who publicly came out as gay in 2012, continued. “How, and why, and who, I don’t know, but yeah, that’s my understanding.” Ratner departed Flyby in 2003 and was replaced by McG, who rebuilt Flyby from the ground up, including casting, only to eventually leave as well—setting the stage for Bryan Singer’s eventual reboot of the project as Superman Returns, now starring Brandon Routh, in 2006.

    This isn’t the first time it’s been suggested that Bomer missed out on Superman because of his sexuality—after Bomer publicly came out in 2012, author Jackie Collins stated in an interview with Gaydar Radio that being closeted cost Bomer the role years prior. But studio sources pushed back on the allegation at the time, citing that Bomer’s deal for Flyby and potential sequels fell through due to Ratner exiting the project.

    Whatever the reason, Bomer himself still at least believes that being outed to studio executives at least played a role even today—but even if he didn’t make it into Flyby, he got to proverbially don the blue-and-red supersuit, playing Superman in the 2013 DCAU animated movie, Superman: Unbound. At the very least, Bomer would go on to play a part in in the DC Universe that actually got to reflect his experience as a gay man, playing the closeted test pilot Larry Trainor, a.k.a. Negative Man, in the excellent Doom Patrol TV series.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    James Whitbrook

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