Melania documentary creators say its big price tag wasn’t bribery

The makers of Amazon’s Melania documentary have defended its exorbitant cost following accusations of bribery to appease the Trump empire. Amazon paid $40 million to Melania Trump’s production company for the film rights and another $35 million for marketing — making it one of the most expensive documentaries ever produced.

“I think it’s silly because there’s a feature film and three episodes,” director Brett Ratner told Deadline at last night’s premiere. “We spent more money on music in this than I did on Rush Hour. I mean, top of the line, three best cinematographers in the world, at the highest level. Eighty people on the first day of shooting in my crew. That’s not unheard of in a documentary. You put the money on the screen.”

That budget is, actually, pretty unheard of for a documentary, sparking criticism that it’s a $75 million bribe. The New York Times notes that the $35 million marketing budget for Melania is 10 times higher than the average spend for big documentaries, despite only taking 20 days to shoot. The first lady herself is expected to personally pocket $27 million from Amazon’s $40 million licensing deal, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Melania Trump — who is also a producer on the project — says Melania isn’t a documentary at all, but in fact a “creative experience that offers perspectives, insights and moments.”