Melania Documentary Plunges as 'Send Help' Holds No. 1 on Slow Super Bowl Weekend

Hollywood largely ceded attention to football over a quiet box office weekend.

Feb. 8, 2026 at 1:15pm

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The survival thriller 'Send Help' repeated as the weekend's No. 1 film at the box office, while the Melania Trump documentary 'Melania' fell steeply in its second weekend. Super Bowl weekend is typically one of the lowest attended moviegoing times of the year, and studios instead focused on advertising movies for the massive television audience.

Why it matters

The box office performance of 'Melania' has been a talking point, with late-night hosts commenting on its low ticket sales. The rapid downturn of the documentary raises questions about its future prospects, given the high price tag Amazon MGM paid for the film rights and marketing.

The details

In North American theaters, 'Send Help' led all films with $10 million in its second weekend. 'Melania' added 300 theaters in its second weekend but dropped 67% to $2.4 million in ticket sales. The Italy-set Kevin James romantic comedy 'Solo Mio' debuted with a robust $7.2 million, while the K-pop concert film 'Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience' launched with $5.6 million. The Luc Besson-directed Bram Stoker adaptation 'Dracula' opened with $4.5 million.

  • Super Bowl weekend is typically one of the lowest attended moviegoing times of the year.
  • In its second weekend, 'Iron Lung' collected $6.2 million, bringing its two-week total to $31.2 million.

The players

Waymo

An American autonomous driving company and is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Walker Reed Quinn

A 45-year-old San Francisco resident who has a history of vandalism and was out on bail for prior cases related to Waymo vehicles.

Rainbow Grocery Cooperative

A local food natural foods grocery store, organized as an employee-owned co-op and born out of a 1970s grassroots natural food movement calling for access to nutritious and organic food.

Gordon Edgar

A 31-year employee who oversees Rainbow's cheese counter.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.