Melania’s self-titled documentary dropped earlier this year, and along with it came a branded popcorn bucket that is now fetching prices well above its original retail value on eBay.
The first lady was the subject of the $40 million Amazon film, which chronicled the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration. The film garnered polarizing reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics awarding it a dismal 10% score, while audiences gave it a whopping 98%.
When the film hit theaters in January, Regal Cinemas rolled out a limited edition popcorn bucket featuring the documentary’s branding, complete with a photo of Melania herself. While collectible popcorn buckets are nothing new for major blockbusters — with films like Wicked and Superman receiving their own versions — it remains a rare occurrence for documentaries.
In a statement to Gizmodo, a Regal representative explained that films like the Melania documentary blur the boundaries between fiction and non-fiction.
“Since the release of Barbie on July 21, 2023, Regal has frequently offered collectible movie-themed containers across a wide range of film genres including many non-fiction releases like Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration from Fathom Entertainment, which blur the lines of the documentary category,” Kevan Karr, senior communications manager at Regal, told the outlet.”Several films about musicians have covered both band history and their music, so it would be difficult to claim Melania is the first documentary associated with a collectible container,” he said.
The popcorn bucket was priced at $12.99 during the documentary’s theatrical release. Now, it’s fetching significantly higher prices on eBay.
Multiple sellers have posted the Melania popcorn bucket on resale platforms like eBay. Pricing fluctuates by seller, ranging from $18 to $60. Some vendors are offering bundles of three buckets for $70.
One customer review stated, “GREAT SELLER, Speedy Delivery, Going into a time capsule so my grand kids can read about it…in 50 years.”
Another commented, “The real deal! Fast shipping! Thank you!”
The Melania documentary is currently available on Amazon Prime.
Melania debuted on Jan. 30 and pulled in approximately $7 million during its opening weekend. The film accumulated around $16.6 million globally throughout its six-week theatrical run.
Critics panned the film harshly. John Serba from Decider commented, “The film concludes with her promise that she’ll fulfill her duties as First Lady ‘with purpose and style,’ and a couple walls of text trumpeting her accomplishments from the past year. You’ll be lucky if you maintain consciousness long enough to read it.” John Semley from The New Republic remarked, “It’s not just that this is some self-serving spectacle. It’s that it’s a bad, totally un-entertaining self-serving spectacle.”
However, some viewers had different takes. One audience member praised it, saying, “Awesome documentary. Fascinating.”
Another viewer shared, “Really enjoyed the behind the scenes look. Im Independent politically and found it to be very informative and entertaining. Love her or hate her she is a fashion icon.”
Yet others were far less impressed. A third reviewer commented, “Half a star is generous. The whole thing had an infomercial vibe, which is great if your goal is to fall asleep with background noise.”
