Story perspectives

Greenwood Demands Removal of Score from Controversial Melania Doc

2/13/2026

Summary

Greenwood Seeks Score Removal

Jonny Greenwood (composer of the Phantom Thread score) and Paul Thomas Anderson (director) have asked Universal to remove a piece from Greenwood's score used in the documentary Melania, citing no consultation and a composer-agreement violation.
The Ratner-directed documentary has earned $13.35 million on a $75 million budget, signaling box-office struggles.
It faced criticism for content and alleged review manipulation, with audience-critic score gaps.
The film will stream on Amazon Prime soon.

Summary

Beckman Defends Music

Marc Beckman, producer of Melania, defends the film’s music use after Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Paul Thomas Anderson said they did not approve its inclusion.
Beckman says the production holds legal rights to use all music.
Rotten Tomatoes lists an 11% critic rating.
The documentary follows Melania Trump ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.
Viewers respond positively, and it has grossed $13.35 million domestically in two weeks.

History

Historical Context

The Music Modernization Act, signed into law on October 11, 2018, aimed to reform music copyright laws, particularly for digital streaming. It established a nonprofit agency to manage licensing and ensure fair royalties for artists. The ongoing dispute between Jonny Greenwood and Marc Beckman over music rights in the documentary "Melania" underscores the complexities of composer agreements in today's evolving music landscape.

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Greenwood Seeks Score Removal

Jonny Greenwood (composer of the Phantom Thread score) and Paul Thomas Anderson (director) have asked Universal to remove a piece from Greenwood's score used in the documentary Melania, citing no consultation and a composer-agreement violation.
The Ratner-directed documentary has earned $13.35 million on a $75 million budget, signaling box-office struggles.
It faced criticism for content and alleged review manipulation, with audience-critic score gaps.
The film will stream on Amazon Prime soon.

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