Amazon Quietly Removes Melania After Theater Marquee Jokes Surface
A small movie theater in Oregon never expected to get a call from one of the biggest companies in the world over a few jokes on a sign. But that is exactly what happened when Amazon decided to pull the documentary Melania from a local cinema after its marquee messages drew attention online.
The situation started at the Lake Theater and Cafe in Lake Oswego, a quiet town just outside Portland. The theater had booked Melania, a documentary about the First Lady, for what management thought would be a low-key week. According to the theater’s manager, Jordan Perry, the goal was not to make a statement but to lean into humor.
To promote the screenings, the staff wrote playful lines on the outdoor marquee. One message asked Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday. Another referenced Sun Tzu with To defeat your enemy, you must know them. The jokes were meant to be light and ironic, especially given the area’s left-leaning audience.
That tone did not sit well with the studio behind the film. Perry later explained that a studio booker contacted the theater and said Amazon MGM was unhappy with how the movie was being advertised. The message was clear that the studio wanted the signage changed.
Instead of quietly adjusting the marquee, the theater decided to cancel the screenings altogether after being told the film would be pulled. Before doing so, the staff updated the sign one last time. It read that Amazon called and that the marquee made them mad, then jokingly encouraged people to support Whole Foods.
Perry shared details of the exchange publicly, explaining that the decision came directly from the studio side. He said the theater was surprised by how quickly things escalated, especially since the marquee jokes were common practice and meant to be harmless.
The controversy did not start with Amazon alone. Even before the studio stepped in, the theater had already received complaints from local residents. Some people were upset that a pro-Trump documentary was being shown at all in the neighborhood.
Perry said he booked the film because he thought it would be strange in a funny way to screen it there. He explained that the choice was partly about curiosity and partly about filling a slow-release week, not about politics.
The documentary itself has been drawing strong reactions nationwide. Melania is directed by Brett Ratner and follows Melania Trump during the twenty days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration. The film has been heavily criticized by reviewers, with some calling it gilded trash, but it has still found an audience.
Industry reports show the documentary made around $7 million in its opening weekend. That number made it the biggest non-music documentary opening in more than ten years, despite the negative reviews.
The incident has sparked debate about how much control large studios should have over small theaters. Many people online questioned whether a few jokes on a marquee were enough reason to shut down local screenings.
Do you think Amazon went too far? Share your thoughts in the comments.
