Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the rights to the documentary Melania: Twenty Days to History. But the huge investment has been overshadowed by reports of production chaos and serious discomfort among the crew who worked on the film. People who worked on the project say the worst part wasn’t the political element of promoting the Trump administration, but having to work with director Brett Ratner, who has faced public accusations of sexual misconduct.
Forty million dollars is a massive amount for a documentary. According to Rolling Stones, it was the most the streamer had ever paid for any piece of content. The acquisition came after a bidding war that included Disney and Paramount, all eager to build relationships with the incoming Trump administration. Just weeks before Amazon made its offer, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had dinner with President Trump and his wife at Mar-a-Lago.
