(AURN News) — The theatrical release of “Melania” unexpectedly drove a massive surge in viewership for Michelle Obama’s 2020 Netflix documentary “Becoming,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
Beginning Jan. 30 — the same day “Melania” opened in theaters — “Becoming” saw its U.S. viewership jump by more than 13,000%. Over that weekend alone, the film was watched for more than 47.5 million minutes, compared with just 354,000 minutes the prior weekend.
While “Melania” debuted with a respectable $7 million at the domestic box office, it fell far short of its reported $75 million licensing and marketing budget. Audience data showed the film skewed heavily toward older white women, while critics largely panned it.
The contrast highlighted the sharp political and cultural divide shaping today’s media landscape.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.
