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Elon Musk is considering legal action against filmmaker Alex Gibney over his new documentary, "Musk," which suggests that Musk played a role in influencing the 2024 presidential election in favor of President Trump. Musk's attorney, Alex Spiro, argues that the film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, is defamatory and falsely implies that Musk used his Starlink satellites to sway the election.
The nearly four-hour documentary is described as a "definitive and unvarnished examination" of Musk, exploring his rise to power and influence. Despite its critical stance, the film received a standing ovation at its premiere. According to Wonderwall, the documentary includes claims from Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Musk's children, who alleges that Musk had unusual certainty about the election outcome before results were announced.
The film also explores Musk's substantial financial contributions to Trump's campaign and the Republican Party, totaling over $290 million. Gibney's documentary raises questions about Musk's access to data during his brief tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the potential use of such information for political purposes.
Despite Musk's criticism, Gibney defends the film, stating that it reframes Musk as a modern-day confidence man rather than a visionary genius. Gibney attempted to include Musk's perspective in the documentary but received no cooperation from him. Instead, the film relies on archival material and interviews with those who have known or studied Musk, including his former wife, Justine Musk, and technology journalists.
The documentary is set for a U.S. theatrical release on October 16, with HBO holding the television and streaming rights. As the film approaches its release, legal challenges from Musk could arise, potentially impacting its distribution and reception.