The Lake Theater & Café in the Portland suburb of Lake Oswego, Ore. will no longer screen “Melania,” the Amazon Studios documentary about first lady Melania Trump, after Amazon pulled the film from its screens.
The move was in response to the theater’s marquee messages promoting the film, including “Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday!” and — quoting Sun Tzu — “To defeat your enemy. You must know them. Melania.”
Directed by Brett Ratner, “Melania” chronicles the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Amazon purchased the rights to produce and distribute the film for $40 million in 2025.
Manager Jordan Perry said the theater received a call from Amazon asking them to pull the film. “The studio was not happy and/or did not appreciate my take on marketing their film to our own public,” Perry told The Oregonian. A source familiar with the film confirms that the title was indeed pulled.
The marquee was subsequently changed to read: “Amazon called. Our marquee made them mad. All “Melania” showings cancelled. Show your support at Whole Foods instead. Join Amazon Prime for Free Two-Day Shipping.”
Perry said the theater had also received emails and messages from local patrons questioning why the film was being shown at all. In a blog post, he explained that booking “Melania” was intended as a humorous choice during a slow movie week, not a political statement. “Wouldn’t it be exponentially weirder, to the point of being funny, to show “Melania” here, at your obviously anti-establishment, occasionally troublemaking, neighborhood cinema?” Perry wrote.
Amazon Studios declined to comment.