Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood have called for the removal of music from the film Phantom Thread in the Melania documentary, citing unauthorized use. The dispute arose in early 2024 after the documentary, distributed internationally by Universal Pictures, included a piece of Greenwood’s score without his consent.
Unauthorized Use of Phantom Thread Score in Melania Documentary
Jonny Greenwood’s composition from Anderson’s 2017 period drama Phantom Thread was featured in Brett Ratner’s documentary about Melania Trump without Greenwood’s approval. The specific track, titled Barbara Rose, was licensed by Universal Pictures for the Melania documentary, which chronicles the twenty days leading up to the 2025 presidential inauguration.
Greenwood highlighted that despite Universal Pictures holding copyright for the film’s release, Jonny Greenwood himself was not consulted regarding the score’s use in this third-party production. This oversight prompted Anderson and Greenwood to demand the music be taken down from the documentary’s soundtrack.
“It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary. While Jonny Greenwood does not own the copyright in the score, Universal failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use, which is a breach of his composer agreement. As a result, Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary,”
the duo stated on Monday.
Context and Reception of the Melania Documentary
The Melania documentary, produced by Amazon MGM and directed by Brett Ratner, was released to theaters internationally and garnered a box office total expected to reach $13.4 million after its second weekend. The studio invested approximately $75 million into filming and marketing efforts for the project. Following its theatrical run, the documentary is slated for streaming on Prime Video.
Besides Greenwood’s Phantom Thread score, the documentary’s soundtrack includes popular tracks such as The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter and Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. Additional featured songs include Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Maurice Ravel’s Bolero, and It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.
Industry Response and Next Steps
The controversy spotlights complex licensing issues when a music score is repurposed across different media without composer approval. The Hollywood Reporter has contacted Universal Pictures for a response regarding the request by Greenwood and Anderson to remove the Phantom Thread music from the Melania documentary. How Universal will address these demands remains to be seen, with potential implications for music licensing protocols in film distribution.
