'Melania' Documentary Exceeds Expectations at Box Office; Five-Year-Old Detainee Released
A documentary film about former First Lady Melania Trump, titled "Melania," debuted with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales, while in a separate story, a five-year-old boy detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was released following a judge's order.
According to studio estimates released Sunday, the "Melania" documentary, promoted by former President Donald Trump, opened in 1,778 North American theaters and grossed $7.04 million, a notable debut for a documentary, according to Variety. Amazon MGM Studios acquired the rights to the film for $40 million and spent an additional $35 million on marketing, making it the most expensive documentary ever, according to Fortune. Variety reported that older white women primarily drove the box office turnout for the film, which shadows the former First Lady in the 20 days before her husband's second presidential inauguration.
The film was directed by Brett Ratner, who had been largely absent from Hollywood since 2017, according to Fortune. While the box office result might be considered a flop for most films with such high costs, it is considered a success by documentary standards, marking the best opening weekend for a documentary, outside of concert films, in 14 years, according to Fortune.
In a separate incident, five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, originally from Ecuador, were released from an ICE facility in Texas and returned to Minnesota, according to Fortune. The two were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20, according to Time. Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas confirmed their return, stating that he picked them up from Dilley, Texas, on Saturday night and escorted them home to Minnesota on Sunday, according to Fortune and Time.
The boy's detention sparked widespread anger over the Trump Administration's mass deportation program, according to Time. A photo of Liam wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack while being detained by an ICE agent in the driveway of his home gained national attention, according to Time.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement regarding the release, according to Fortune. "Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack," Castro wrote on social media, according to Time.
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