Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary on Elon Musk has become the center of a growing dispute after Musk’s legal team threatened possible legal action over the film’s portrayal of the billionaire. The documentary, titled Musk, examines the businessman’s personal life, career, relationships and public influence, while featuring interviews with several people who have had close connections with him.
The dispute intensified after the documentary received its first major public exposure and premiered at the 83rd Venice Film Festival. The four-hour film has attracted considerable attention because of the number of people interviewed for the project, including Musk’s former wife Justine Wilson, former partner Ashley St. Clair, his father Errol Musk and Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard. Their accounts form part of Gibney’s broader attempt to examine Musk’s life and the influence he has built through technology, business and politics.
Musk has strongly rejected the documentary and has made his criticism public. His legal representatives have also challenged the way the film presents certain allegations, arguing that the documentary could create misleading impressions even when statements are not presented as direct accusations.
According to reports surrounding the dispute, Musk’s attorney Alex Spiro sent a letter to Gibney raising concerns about the documentary and the circumstances surrounding its production. The letter reportedly argued that Musk’s representatives had attempted to contact the filmmaker about the project but had not been given an opportunity to engage meaningfully with the production.
Spiro also questioned the approach taken by Gibney, suggesting that the documentary was developed with a predetermined viewpoint rather than as an open-ended investigation. He wrote, “This project did not begin as an inquiry. It began with a conclusion.”
The legal warning goes beyond disagreements over the documentary’s overall tone. Musk’s representatives have reportedly objected to several claims and sequences in the film, including material relating to Musk’s involvement in political affairs and allegations concerning his influence during elections.
One of the issues highlighted involves comments from Ashley St. Clair, Musk’s former partner and a public figure in her own right. In the documentary, she reportedly discusses Musk’s expectations surrounding the 2024 US presidential election and claims that he expressed a strong degree of confidence about Donald Trump’s eventual victory.
Musk’s legal team has argued that a documentary does not necessarily need to make an explicit accusation to create a potentially defamatory impression. The argument focuses on the way individual interviews, narration, editing, sequencing and other filmmaking choices can influence how viewers interpret the material.
Spiro reportedly warned that defamation could arise through “juxtaposition, sequencing, narration, scoring, or the omission of known exculpatory facts.” The letter was described as a warning directed not only at Gibney but also at others involved in producing and distributing the film.
The message ended with a clear invitation for Gibney and his team to discuss the disputed claims. “Our door is open if you decide to check your facts with the people who know them. If not, we will proceed accordingly,” Spiro said.
The controversy has also spilled onto social media, where Musk has personally criticized Gibney and the documentary. Responding to a video showing the director discussing the film at a press conference, Musk wrote, “Dogshit is worth more respect.”
In another social media response, Musk accused Gibney of selecting people who were hostile toward him rather than presenting a balanced picture of his life. Musk wrote that Gibney “just assembled a hit list of people who either have an axe to grind or don’t even know me (but still have an axe to grind). He has ZERO integrity. Horrible human.”
Gibney, meanwhile, is no stranger to documentaries that examine powerful and controversial figures. His filmmaking career has included investigations into politics, business, technology and institutional power. His approach often relies heavily on interviews, archival material and accounts from people connected to the subject.
That approach can create particularly intense disputes when the central figure believes the filmmaker has presented an unfair or incomplete version of events. Documentary filmmaking allows directors to construct a narrative from large amounts of material, meaning that decisions about which interviews, statements and events receive emphasis can significantly influence the audience’s interpretation.
The Musk documentary has reportedly been in development since 2023, giving Gibney and his production team several years to collect interviews and other material. The involvement of people from different stages of Musk’s personal and professional life has contributed to the anticipation surrounding the project.
Justine Wilson, Musk’s first wife, is among those interviewed. His father, Errol Musk, also appears in the film, alongside Martin Eberhard, the Tesla co-founder and former chief executive who was involved in the electric vehicle company during its early years. St. Clair is another prominent participant whose account has attracted attention because of her previous relationship with Musk.
The inclusion of people with personal or professional connections to Musk is likely to remain an important part of the public debate surrounding the film. Supporters of Gibney’s approach may view these interviews as valuable firsthand perspectives, while critics may question the motivations, experiences or disagreements of some participants.
That tension is particularly significant because Musk is a highly polarizing public figure. His companies have made him one of the most influential figures in modern technology, while his political involvement and outspoken presence on social media have repeatedly placed him at the center of public controversy. A documentary examining his life therefore carries interest well beyond the entertainment industry.
