WASHINGTON: Elon Musk’s lawyers have threatened legal action against the makers of a new four-hour documentary about the billionaire, accusing filmmaker Alex Gibney and his production company of defaming the Tesla and SpaceX founder.
In a September 3 letter, Musk’s attorney Alex Spiro put Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions and other parties involved in the film’s release on formal legal notice, arguing that the documentary was built around a predetermined conclusion.
Spiro accused Gibney of refusing to fact-check the film with Musk or people close to him. The letter also instructed the filmmakers to preserve footage, interview transcripts, research material and internal communications because litigation was “reasonably anticipated”.
Musk documentary premieres in Venice
The documentary, titled “Musk”, premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday, receiving a lengthy standing ovation and strong reviews.
Gibney examines Musk’s rise from a Silicon Valley entrepreneur in the early 2000s to the world’s first trillionaire, while also exploring his childhood, business career and personal life.
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Variety described the film as a “lacerating portrait”, while Deadline called it a “damning” portrayal of Musk.
Musk’s lawyers have particularly focused on a sequence concerning the 2024 US presidential election. Spiro claimed the film promotes a conspiracy theory suggesting Musk knew early on election night that Donald Trump had won because his Starlink satellites had been used to influence the result.
The filmmakers rejected the accusations. Jigsaw Productions told The Hollywood Reporter that scrutiny of powerful public figures is protected by the US Constitution’s First Amendment.
Musk attacks film on X
Musk has also criticised the documentary publicly on X, the social media platform he owns, describing it as a “hit piece that misses” and calling it boring.
Gibney is known for documentaries examining powerful individuals and institutions, including Scientology, Enron and US military interrogation practices. He won an Academy Award for “Taxi to the Dark Side”.
The legal warning adds a potential courtroom battle to the controversy surrounding the documentary’s release.
