Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood have formally requested that music from their acclaimed film Phantom Thread be removed from the new documentary centred on Melania Trump, after discovering the score had been used without consultation.
In a statement obtained by Variety, the director–composer duo expressed clear frustration that a portion of Greenwood’s Oscar-nominated score had been licensed for Brett Ratner’s Melanie flick about the first lady of the United States without his involvement.
The pair said in a statement to Variety: “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 documentary, which has already sparked political and cultural debate online, now finds itself at the centre of an unexpected rights dispute.
Although Universal holds the copyright to the Phantom Thread soundtrack, Greenwood’s contract reportedly requires the studio to consult him on any third-party usage — a clause designed to protect the artistic integrity of his work and ensure it is not repurposed in contexts he has not approved.
The music is deeply tied to the film’s tone and themes, making its appearance in an unrelated political documentary particularly contentious for the pair.
Neither Anderson nor Greenwood has commented further on the matter, and Universal has not yet issued a public response.
Released on January 30, the film has grossed $9.5 million on a $40 million production budget.
