An unexpected music rights dispute has drawn Jonny Greenwood and Paul Thomas Anderson into controversy after a composition from Phantom Thread appeared in the documentary Melania.

Greenwood, the Radiohead guitarist and acclaimed film composer, and Anderson, director of the 2017 period drama, have requested that the track “Barbara Rose” be removed from the Brett Ratner–directed film.

In a joint statement released Monday, the collaborators said Greenwood had not been consulted about the music’s reuse:

“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.”

Paul Thomas Anderson with Jonny Greenwood

At the center of the dispute is “Barbara Rose,” a composition from Greenwood’s Oscar-nominated Phantom Thread score. Although Universal Pictures controls the copyright, Greenwood and Anderson contend that the studio’s failure to consult Greenwood violates contractual terms governing third-party usage.

Producer rejects allegations

Marc Beckman, a producer of Melania, has strongly disputed the claim that the documentary lacked proper authorization.

Speaking to Breitbart News, Beckman defended the film’s licensing process:

“It’s a blatant lie. We have a legal right and permission to use every song and piece of music in the film. We’ve done everything the right way. We followed protocol. We respect artists. We compensated everyone for their music.”

Notably, Greenwood and Anderson directed their criticism toward Universal rather than Beckman or Amazon MGM Studios, which produced the documentary — suggesting the disagreement stems from internal licensing procedures rather than the documentary’s production team.

A documentary already under controversy

The dispute arrives amid broader attention surrounding Melania, Ratner’s first film in nearly a decade. The documentary chronicles the 20 days leading up to the 2025 U.S. presidential inauguration and positions itself as an intimate portrait of Melania Trump.

Amazon MGM’s unusually large investment — estimated at $75 million — marks one of the most expensive nonfiction acquisitions in recent memory. The studio reportedly paid $40 million for streaming rights, followed by roughly $35 million to market the film theatrically.

Despite a harsh critical reception, the documentary exceeded initial domestic box office projections, earning more than $13 million. Industry reports indicate that Republican women made up a significant portion of the audience.

The film’s soundtrack features a striking mix of high-profile needle drops, including The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Ravel’s “Boléro,” and James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”

Ratner’s return to filmmaking

Melania also marks Brett Ratner’s return to directing following his withdrawal from Hollywood after multiple sexual misconduct allegations surfaced in 2017. The filmmaker has largely remained out of the spotlight in the years since.

A picture from Melania documentary

A longstanding creative partnership

Greenwood and Anderson have collaborated for nearly two decades, with Greenwood composing scores for There Will Be Blood, The Master, Licorice Pizza, and One Battle After Another.

Both artists are again in the awards conversation this year, with One Battle After Another emerging as a major contender ahead of the upcoming Oscars.

Whether the contested music will ultimately be removed remains unclear. However, the disagreement highlights the increasingly complex relationship between film licensing practices, composer agreements, and the reuse of music in high-profile documentaries.