Rotten Tomatoes Denies Bot Manipulation of 'Melania' Audience Score

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Rotten Tomatoes is denying any bot interference with the audience score for the documentary film 'Melania'. The site says the 'Popcornmeter' score is driven only by reviews from verified audience members who have purchased tickets to the film. However, some are skeptical, noting that the positive audience reviews appear to be from new accounts with no prior review history.

Why it matters

The stark disparity between the film's low critic score and high audience score on Rotten Tomatoes has raised suspicions of potential manipulation, especially given the political nature of the subject matter. Allegations of using bots or bulk ticket purchases to inflate audience scores could undermine the credibility of Rotten Tomatoes' review system.

The details

Despite the film's 67% drop in its second weekend and a 10-day box office total of $14.5 million against a $40 million licensing and $35 million marketing budget, Rotten Tomatoes is insisting the positive audience score is legitimate. A spokesperson for the site said the reviews displayed on the 'Popcornmeter' are from verified ticket buyers. However, some social media users have pointed out that the positive audience reviews appear to be from new accounts with no prior review history, suggesting potential bot manipulation.

• The film 'Melania' was released in theaters on February 1, 2026.
• As of February 8, 2026, the film holds an 8% critic score and a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.