Radiohead lead guitarist and acclaimed film composer Jonny Greenwood has formally asked for a portion of his music from Phantom Thread to be taken out of the recently released Melania Trump documentary, Melania.
Greenwood collaborated with director Paul Thomas Anderson on the 2017 psychological drama, which went on to receive multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Score. The two creatives issued a joint statement to Variety after discovering that music from the film had been incorporated into the documentary without prior consultation.
“It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary,” read the pair’s statement. “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 documentary Melania, which debuted in theaters on Jan. 30, follows the former first lady in the weeks leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. Ahead of the film’s official premiere at the Kennedy Center on Jan. 29, Melania Trump publicly discussed the importance of music in shaping the documentary’s tone.
While promoting the film at the New York Stock Exchange, she said, “Visual storytelling and beautiful music create memories for a lifetime. What do you remember when you hear Rolling Stones? Michael Jackson?“
“Films bring families and friends together, sitting side by side, sharing a collective moment. In doing so, they will not simply watch a film, they will participate in a great American tradition and become part of our nation’s history,” she continued.
The soundtrack for Melania features a broad selection of well-known songs, including “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones, “Amazing Grace” by Aretha Franklin, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears, “Sunny” by Boney M. and “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals.
Commercially, the documentary performed strongly in its debut weekend. According to Deadline, the film earned $7.04 million in its opening frame, marking the largest opening for a non-fiction film in the past decade. However, this figure represents only a small portion of the project’s overall cost. Amazon MGM Studios reportedly paid $40 million to acquire the film and spent an additional $35 million on marketing.
The release also marks director Brett Ratner’s return to theatrical filmmaking following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct made against him during the #MeToo movement in 2017. Six women, including actress Olivia Munn, accused Ratner of misconduct. Ratner has denied the allegations, and no criminal charges were filed.
In the weeks surrounding the film’s release, Ratner also appeared in several photographs included in newly released U.S. Department of Justice materials connected to the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ratner has denied having a “personal relationship” with Epstein.
Source: People