Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson have formally objected to the use of music from their acclaimed film Phantom Thread in the newly released documentary Melania, calling for the score to be removed from the Amazon MGM Studios production.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Greenwood — the Radiohead guitarist and Oscar-nominated composer — and Anderson said they were not consulted by Universal before the music was licensed for the documentary. They argue this violates the terms of Greenwood’s composer agreement.
“It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary,” the statement reads.
“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.”
What Music Was Used?
The track in question is “Barbara Rose,” taken from the Phantom Thread soundtrack. The film, released in 2017, stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a fictional dressmaker and features Greenwood’s hauntingly elegant score — which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score.
Greenwood has since received another Oscar nomination for his latest collaboration with Anderson, One Battle After Another, which is widely seen as a strong contender for Best Picture this year.
A Pattern of Collaboration
Greenwood is no stranger to film scoring, having also composed music for acclaimed movies such as The Power of the Dog and Spencer, in addition to his long-running partnership with Anderson.
“Melania” Documentary: Mixed Reception, Strong Opening Weekend
Directed by Brett Ratner, Melania chronicles the days leading up to former President Donald Trump’s second inauguration in 2025. The documentary features a soundtrack that includes iconic artists like the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Presley.
The film opened in theaters on January 30 and was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics. However, it performed better than expected at the box office, though it still remains far from profitable based on ticket sales alone. Amazon is expected to recover some costs through advertising and streaming subscriptions.
Amazon MGM Studios’ head of domestic theatrical distribution, Kevin Wilson, said the documentary’s “strong theatrical performance” has built momentum ahead of its upcoming debut on Prime Video, though a streaming date has not yet been announced.