Musk threatens legal action over documentary ahead of Venice premiere

X owner Elon Musk has threatened legal action against the makers of a new documentary about his life, accusing them of producing a defamatory film built on a predetermined narrative rather than objective journalism.

According to a letter dated September 3, 2026, Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, formally notified Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney and his production company, Jigsaw Productions, of the billionaire’s objections just days before the documentary premiered at the Venice Film Festival.

In the letter, Spiro alleged that the four-hour film, titled ‘Musk’, was designed to portray the world’s richest man in a negative light and claimed its producers failed to seek factual verification from Musk or people close to him.

“This project did not begin as an inquiry. It began with a conclusion,” the lawyer wrote.

Despite the legal warning, the documentary premiered on Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a lengthy standing ovation and favourable reviews from critics.

Directed by Gibney, the film chronicles Musk’s rise from a Silicon Valley entrepreneur during the dot-com era to becoming the world’s first trillionaire. It also explores his personal life, including his childhood and his family.

Several entertainment publications praised the documentary, with ‘Variety’ describing it as a “lacerating portrait” of Musk, while ‘Deadline’ called it a “damning” account of the billionaire.

Spiro’s letter was also addressed to companies involved in the film’s distribution, including HBO, Bleecker Street, and Universal, warning them of potential legal consequences.

A key point of contention is a segment that allegedly suggests Musk knew Donald Trump had won the 2024 U.S. presidential election early because Starlink satellites were used to influence the outcome – an allegation Musk’s legal team described as an unfounded conspiracy theory.

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Responding to the legal threat, Jigsaw Productions defended the documentary, saying public scrutiny of influential figures is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The company added that such protections should be supported by everyone, “including the associates of Elon Musk, who has proclaimed himself to be a ‘free speech absolutist.'”

Gibney is known for documentaries examining powerful individuals and institutions, including the Church of Scientology, Enron and cyber warfare. He won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for ‘Taxi to the Dark Side’.

Meanwhile, Musk has repeatedly criticised the documentary on X, describing it as a “hit piece” that “misses” its target and dismissing it as uninteresting.