By TheDailyNewsHub
Billionaire Elon Musk has threatened legal action against the makers of a new documentary about his life and career, accusing the filmmakers of presenting a false and defamatory portrayal of him.
The documentary, titled Musk, was directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney and premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 8. The nearly four-hour film examines Musk’s rise from technology entrepreneur to one of the world’s most influential business and political figures.
Musk has strongly rejected the film, describing it as a politically motivated “hit piece” and accusing Gibney of lacking integrity.
His attorney, Alex Spiro, sent a letter dated September 3 to Jigsaw Productions, the company behind the documentary, placing the filmmakers on formal legal notice and warning that legal action could follow.
A major point of contention is an apparent suggestion in the film that Musk may have used his Starlink satellite network to influence the 2024 US presidential election in favour of Donald Trump.
Spiro argued that such an implication is false and potentially defamatory. He said Starlink is not connected to the systems used to tabulate US election votes and accused the filmmakers of refusing to properly engage with Musk’s representatives before completing the film.
Musk himself has attacked the documentary on X, accusing Gibney of assembling a “hit list” of people who either have grievances against him or do not know him.
He also criticised the film as “boring” and claimed it was produced with a predetermined conclusion about him.
Spiro’s letter alleged that the project “began with a conclusion” rather than as a genuine inquiry and said Musk’s legal team expected the documentary to contain further statements that could be false or insufficiently investigated.
The documentary includes interviews with several people who have had close relationships with Musk, including his former wife Justine Musk, his father Errol Musk, former partner Ashley St. Clair and Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard. Musk did not participate in the film.
St. Clair features prominently in the film and discusses her relationship with Musk and their child. The documentary also examines Musk’s business empire, his acquisition of Twitter, his political activities and his growing influence over technology and public debate.
Gibney has defended the documentary and his approach to the project. His production company, Jigsaw Productions, said the filmmaker’s work is based on extensive reporting and fact-driven examinations of powerful individuals and corporations.
The company also argued that open debate and fact-based scrutiny of powerful public figures are protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
The confrontation comes as the documentary receives significant attention following its Venice premiere, where it reportedly received a lengthy standing ovation and strong reviews.
The film is scheduled for release in US cinemas on October 16, 2026.
For now, no lawsuit has been filed. Musk’s lawyer has issued a legal warning, meaning the dispute could still be resolved without court proceedings.
The controversy is also likely to increase interest in the documentary ahead of its theatrical release, particularly because of Musk’s prominence in US politics, technology and the global business community.