Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has publicly threatened legal action against filmmaker Alex Gibney over the upcoming documentary Musk, which premiered this week at the Venice Film Festival. The nearly four-hour documentary, titled Musk, chronicles Musk’s rise from Silicon Valley entrepreneur to the world’s first trillionaire, while examining his influence and controversial decisions as a business leader.
The film received a five-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere, with audience members shouting "thank you" and sharing praise on social media. However, Musk has dismissed the documentary as a "hit piece" on his platform X, formerly Twitter, where he referred to Gibney as a "horrible human" and a "bitter old man." Musk also claimed the film was part of a "psy op" and argued that his net worth, including his ownership of DOGE, warranted more respect.
The documentary, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, features interviews with key figures from Musk’s career, including Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard. Eberhard recalls a 2000s dinner conversation where Musk asserted, "One thing that nobody can take away from you is that you're the founder of Tesla," a statement later contradicted by Musk’s public claims of sole founding credit. This dispute led to litigation and a settlement allowing multiple co-founders to share the title.
Gibney’s film explores Musk’s contradictions, portraying him as both a visionary entrepreneur and a chaotic figure whose actions have drawn scrutiny over his business practices and public behavior. The documentary is scheduled for theatrical release on October 16 and has generated significant buzz ahead of its debut.
Musk’s response to the film contrasts sharply with its reception at film festivals. While audiences and critics have praised Musk for its depth and critical perspective, Musk has framed it as an unfair portrayal. His public statements suggest he views the documentary as part of a broader campaign against him, though no legal filings have been confirmed as of this report.
The documentary joins another high-profile film premiere this week, You Can See Everything, which follows former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes in the weeks before her imprisonment for fraud. Both films reflect a cultural shift in how tech moguls and entrepreneurs are perceived, moving from admiration to skepticism amid concerns over unchecked power and corporate malfeasance.