Elon Musk lawyers threaten legal action over documentary

Elon Musk's lawyers put the makers of Alex Gibney's four-hour documentary about him on formal legal notice days before its Venice Film Festival premiere, warning that the film defames him.

In a September 3 letter to a producer at Gibney's Jigsaw Productions, attorney Alex Spiro accused the Oscar-winning documentarian of building "Musk" around a predetermined conclusion and refusing to fact-check it with Musk or people close to him. The letter put Gibney, Jigsaw and companies involved in the film's release, including HBO, Bleecker Street and Universal, on notice.

The documentary premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 8. It traces Musk's career and personal life, including his early Silicon Valley ventures, SpaceX, Tesla, political influence, relationships and children. Reviews cited in Venice coverage described it as a highly critical portrait.

Spiro's letter focused in part on a sequence he said advances a conspiracy theory that Musk knew early on election night 2024 that Donald Trump had won because Starlink satellites had been used to influence the result. The letter also told the filmmakers to preserve footage, interview transcripts, research files and internal communications because litigation was "reasonably anticipated."

Jigsaw said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that scrutiny of powerful public figures is protected by the First Amendment. It said all Americans should defend that principle, including Musk's associates, noting Musk has described himself as a "free speech absolutist."

Earlier Venice coverage of the film included claims about Musk's personal relationships, reported drug use, work with the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump and artificial intelligence ambitions. Musk has criticised Gibney and the film on X, calling it a "hit piece that misses" and dismissing it as boring.