Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood have officially requested the removal of a musical segment from their 2017 film “Phantom Thread” from the controversial “Melania” documentary. Jonny Greenwood, who composed the score for “Phantom Thread,” and Anderson issued a joint statement, obtained by Variety through Greenwood’s representative, explaining their decision. They stated that while Greenwood does not hold the copyright to the score, Universal's failure to consult him regarding this third-party usage constitutes a breach of his composer agreement. Consequently, both Greenwood and Anderson have formally asked for the music to be excised from the documentary.

The “Melania” documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, purports to offer an in-depth look at the former First Lady but has largely been described as unrevealing. Despite its content, the film has achieved a domestic box office tally of $13.35 million after just two weekends of release. This figure is particularly notable for a documentary, especially one that does not focus on nature or music, which are typically more popular documentary genres.

However, the financial aspects of “Melania” are even more striking, as it is rumored to be one of the most expensive documentaries in history. Amazon MGM reportedly invested a staggering $40 million to acquire the film along with an accompanying straight-to-streaming docu-series. Furthermore, the studio spent an additional $35 million on theatrical marketing, bringing the total expenditure to an unprecedented sum for a documentary. These lavish costs have led to widespread speculation within the industry, with some suggesting that Amazon MGM's substantial investment might be an attempt to cultivate favor with the previous administration. Given that theater owners typically retain about half of ticket sales, the immense cost of producing and promoting “Melania” makes it financially challenging to justify. In an unusual move to address public perception, Amazon MGM even released a statement concerning the film's second weekend box office results.

Jonny Greenwood has cultivated a prolific career as a film composer, surpassing his activity as a rock musician over the past 25 years. He has composed or contributed to the scores of 12 films, including notable works such as “One Battle After Another,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Inherent Vice,” and “Liquorice Pizza.” His distinctive musical contribution to “Phantom Thread” was lauded by Variety's Owen Gleiberman in his 2017 review, where Gleiberman noted that the “plangent pull of Jonny Greenwood’s musical score, rapturous with longing and anxiety, summons an unmistakable ’50s-Hitchcock vibe,” emphasizing the ominous undertones the music created.