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I was watching a movie a couple months ago and there was some scene of great momentum and I bolted up and went, “Wait a measure, those are the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon drums!” For the life of me I can’t remember now what the film was (it wasn’t Crouching Tiger itself, I swear, and the internet proved to be no help). I’ve heard theme songs be repeated in franchise films, case in point: Alexandre Desplat composed last year’s Jurassic World Rebirth and incorporated the original Jurassic Park themes by John Williams, and the credits rightly acknowledge Williams’ contributions. But this was the first instance I’d encountered of a film score being used in a completely unrelated project. Now here’s the second instance: Melania — the new grift project documentary that drove tons of audiences… to watch an older, better documentary at home — uses some of Jonny Greenwood’s Oscar-nominated score from Phantom Thread, the 2017 Paul Thomas Anderson film. Jonny and PT have just gotten wind of it and object, verily:
“It has come to our attention that a piece of music from ‘Phantom Thread’ has been used in the ‘Melania’ documentary,” Anderson and Greenwood said in a joint statement Monday. “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,” the pair added, “Johnny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary.”
Greenwood composed the lush orchestral score for “Phantom Thread,” a drama about a temperamental dressmaker (Daniel Day-Lewis) in 1950s London. “Phantom Thread” was released by Focus Features, a unit of NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.
Amazon MGM Studios, the company that acquired distribution rights to “Melania” for $40 million, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Melania” follows the first lady in the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, and features original music by composer Tony Neiman. It was directed by Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour”) in his first directorial effort since he faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2017.
He has denied those allegations, and he has not been charged.
“Melania” has so far grossed more than $13 million in North America, according to Box Office Mojo, a website owned by Amazon. It has earned largely negative reviews from professional critics, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 8%.
Anderson’s latest film, “One Battle After Another,” recently collected 13 nominations for the 98th Academy Awards in March, including best picture and best director. “One Battle After Another” chronicles a group of faded leftist revolutionaries on the run from a brutal military officer.
Greenwood composed the score for “One Battle After Another,” as well as the Anderson films “There Will Be Blood,” “The Master” and “Inherent Vice.” He has been nominated three times for the best original score Oscar.
Emotionally, politically, spiritually, I’m outraged at the music being stolen. Legally and contractually speaking, it does kind of seem to be a more complicated issue? Though PTA does make a good attempt at laying out the rights issues as clearly as possible. As I’ve mentioned before, I know someone who works in licensing music for a single artist. Usually what happens is that movie music coordinators will reach out before the film is released to request a song usage, and then if approved, the fee is worked out based on the particular song, how much of it is being used, where it plays in the film (ending credits can be expensive!), and where in the world the film will be screened. In fact, the music coordinator for Melania reached out to my friend’s office about a song! The request kept being denied until Brett Ratner himself got involved to beg, and still my friend said “HELL NO,” though in more professional language. But this song was copyrighted, unlike Greenwood’s score. The Melania producers have already hit back saying, “We have the legal rights to use it” and calling the new statement “a blatant lie!” But if they actually listened to the statement, the Melania team would realize that they could have done everything legally on their end, but Universal made the error in not seeking Greenwood’s approval. I’d love for the Phantom Thread music to be removed from the doc as Greenwood requests (of his own composition, ffs!), but I admit, I don’t hold out much hope. Prove me wrong, Mel!
Now let me once again take this opportunity to bemoan that Jonny Greenwood was ROBBED of a best original score Oscar for Power of the Dog in 2022! (It went to Hans Zimmer instead for the first Dune.) Power of the Dog, Phantom Thread, and One Battle After Another this year round out Greenwood’s three career nominations in the category. Which means Greenwood was ROBBED once before, of a nomination for There Will Be Blood in 2008! HOW could that score not have been nominated???
The utter disgust and revulsion of the pedophile führer and his Nazi-inspired EXECUTIONS and reign of terror across the US has people in Los Angeles altering the posters of Melania Trump's new film. In the history of America no president and first lady have been more loathed. pic.twitter.com/MLV8VUFX3T
— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) January 31, 2026
I think the score for There Will Be Blood couldn’t be nominated due to a technicality. I think it included a piece of music that wasn’t original or had already been released and included in something else commercial beforehand.
Yes, it was the piece of classical music at the very end of the film (in the bowling alley).
Martin Scorsese uses bits of the scores from other movies in his films all the time. Assume he’s doing it correctly.
Music licensing messes like the Melania one are coming up in the figure skating competitions at the Olympics. Part of the problem there seems to be the IOC expecting individual athletes to negotiate worldwide broadcast rights to their program music, which is completely beyond the realm of reality.
My guess is that some of this is being automated and no one is actually checking the contracts.
You know I would love to watch a documentary about Melania. But one based in reality detailing her ultra sketchy past.
Like as if her husband respects music rights. You have to fight him unless you’re selling so much new music that it makes a difference or he puts a target on your back.
Hard agree, Truthiness. Trump and Melania are born thieves, liars and grifters.