Phantom Thread Director and Composer Demand Music Removal from Melania Trump Documentary
Acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, the director and composer respectively of the 2017 drama Phantom Thread, have issued a formal statement demanding the removal of music from their film from the controversial new documentary about Melania Trump. The pair have highlighted a significant breach of agreement regarding the use of the score in the film directed by Brett Ratner.
Breach of Composer Agreement Cited in Formal Statement
In a statement provided to Variety, Anderson and Greenwood revealed that Universal Pictures failed to consult Greenwood on the third-party use of music from Phantom Thread 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," the statement explained. "As a result Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary."
The documentary, simply titled Melania, purports to provide an inside look at the life of former Slovenian model Melania Knauss, who married Donald Trump and served as First Lady of the United States. Despite its ambitious premise, the film has been universally panned by critics across the board.
Critical Reception and Box Office Performance
The Guardian's film critic Xan Brooks delivered a particularly scathing zero-star review, describing the documentary as "deadly," "dispiriting," and "one of those rare, unicorn films that doesn't have a single redeeming quality." Brooks further characterized it as "a gilded trash remake of Jonathan Glazer's The Zone of Interest in which a button-eyed Cinderella points at gold baubles and designer dresses."
Despite the overwhelmingly negative critical reception, the film has generated $13.35 million domestically over its first two weeks in theaters. This represents a surprisingly high tally for a documentary, largely driven by organized groups of Republican women who have embraced the film as a political cause. However, the film experienced a dramatic 67% drop in its second weekend, indicating limited staying power.
Unprecedented Streaming Deal and Industry Speculation
Amazon MGM made headlines with an extraordinary $40 million acquisition of streaming rights for the documentary, followed by an additional $35 million marketing investment for its theatrical release. These figures represent unprecedented sums for a nonfiction film not focused on nature or music subjects.
The unusual financial commitment has sparked significant industry speculation that Amazon may have made the purchase to cultivate favor with Donald Trump. The former president has reportedly been instrumental in engineering a comeback for director Brett Ratner, who faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement.
Trump's Reported Involvement in Ratner's Career Revival
In November 2025, reports emerged that Rush Hour 4, a sequel to the popular Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker buddy-cop series that Ratner had long sought to revive, received approval at Paramount Skydance following Trump's intervention. According to industry sources, the former president lobbied his friend and backer Larry Ellison, the largest shareholder of the newly formed Paramount Skydance, to secure funding for the film.
This development follows Paramount Global's settlement earlier this year of a lawsuit with Trump over a critical CBS News interview with the former president, adding another layer to the complex relationship between Trump and the entertainment industry.
Anderson Praises Critical Review of Melania Documentary
While accepting a screenplay prize from the London Critics' Circle last week, Paul Thomas Anderson took the opportunity to praise The Guardian's review of the Melania documentary. "I wanted to share the award with the Guardian's Xan Brooks for his Melania review," Anderson stated. "It was one of the best pieces of writing. Pretty damn good."
Phantom Thread, the film at the center of the current controversy, received six Academy Award nominations including Best Original Score for Jonny Greenwood's work. The film remains a critically acclaimed entry in both Anderson and Greenwood's distinguished careers.
