Amazon has informed its employees that they cannot opt out of working on a new documentary about Melania Trump for political reasons.
Some workers in Amazon’s entertainment division have expressed dissatisfaction with their involvement in the recently launched documentary titled “Melania,” for which the company paid $40 million for distribution rights, as highlighted by a recent report.
Reportedly, employees were told that participation in the project was mandated by senior management, and refusals for political reasons would not be accepted.
Besides the rights fees, Amazon, which Jeff Bezos founded, allocated an astonishing $35 million for a marketing initiative, featuring commercials during NFL broadcasts and advertisements across the Las Vegas sphere.
This hefty investment significantly surpasses the usual costs associated with documentaries of this nature, with typical expenses around $5 million for production and about $3 million for marketing, as noted in the report.
While the legality of the deal isn’t disputed, both critics in Hollywood and beyond are questioning whether this collaboration with Melania might indicate a strategy to foster positive relations with the White House.
Ted Hope, a former Amazon entertainment division employee, remarked on the situation, stating, “This has to be the most expensive documentary ever made that doesn’t involve a music license. How could that not be equated with favoritism or outright bribery? Why not?”
Regarding the film’s promotion, Amazon commented that they licensed the film because they believed customers would appreciate it.
Internally, Amazon employees have dubbed this project the “unicorn.”
There’s also been some pushback against the selection of Brett Ratner as the director for “Melania.” One production staff member noted that conversations often centered more around Ratner’s reputation than on Melania herself.
It’s reported that two-thirds of the production staff based in New York asked to have their names omitted from the credits.
In 2017, several women, including Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused Ratner of sexual misconduct. He has strongly denied these claims, and Warner Bros. promptly severed ties with him following the allegations.
Melania is the first film he has directed since those events.
The news outlet has reached out to Amazon, Ratner, and the White House for their responses.
