The documentary “Melania” had a $7 million domestic opening

Amazon “Melania” grossed $7 million at the domestic box office during its debut this weekend, the highest opening for a non-music documentary in more than a decade.

Documentaries are not typically major drivers of ticket sales, with the majority of releases over the past 10 years opening to less than $5 million and grossing $10 million to $20 million worldwide, according to data from Comscore. Documentaries and concert films by popular music artists often beat these numbers due to their fan base.

Notably, Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9” holds the record for the highest opening political documentary with $23.9 million. The film, which opened in 2004, holds the record for the highest domestic grosses for a political documentary at $119 million.

“We are extremely encouraged by the strong debut and positive audience response, with the early box office for ‘Melania’ exceeding our expectations,” said Kevin Wilson, president of domestic theatrical distribution for Amazon MGM Studios. “This momentum is an important first step in what we see as a long life cycle for both the film and the upcoming documentary series, extending beyond the theatrical window into what we believe will be an important launch for both in our service.”

The tech giant, which runs the streaming service Prime Video, has acquired the Melania Trump documentary for an estimated $40 million, and reports suggest the company spent roughly the same price on marketing the film.

Ticket sales were driven by women and moviegoers over the age of 55, with both demographics accounting for 70% or more of receipts. Additionally, rural theaters account for 46% of total box office revenue, according to EntTelligence data. Typically, these theaters, which operate in areas with populations of less than 500,000, account for about 30% of movie ticket sales.

EntTelligence estimates that 600,000 moviegoers saw the film over the weekend.

While review sites were filled with strong audience reviews — “Popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes has a score of 99% from more than 500 users — critical responses have been more critical. “Melania” has a rating of 11% on Rotten Tomatoes out of 19 reviews, with many critics calling the documentary “propaganda.”

Disclosure: Versant Media is the parent company of Rotten Tomatoes and CNBC.