Elon Musk's lawyers threaten to sue producers of controversial documentary

Elon Musk's lawyers sent a formal notice to the producers of a four-hour documentary devoted to the multi-billionaire, a few days before its release, accusing them of having made an incriminating film.

In a letter dated September 3, lawyer Alex Spiro criticizes Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney for constructing the Musk documentary around pre-established conclusions rather than conducting an impartial investigation. He also accuses him of having refused any verification process with the billionaire or his entourage. Screened Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival, the documentary received a standing ovation and rave reviews.

Alex Gibney retraces the journey of the richest man in the world, born in South Africa and became an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley in the early 2000s, before reaching the status of the first trillionaire in history. The film also focuses on his private life, his difficult childhood as well as the 14 children he had with several women. The trade magazine Variety called it a “vitriolic portrait,” while Deadline said the portrait tarnished Musk, portrayed as “petty, narcissistic, megalomaniac and cruel.”

Musk strikes back

The billionaire's lawyers have warned that defamation suits could be filed against the film's producers and distributors, including HBO, Bleecker Street and Universal. They particularly target a sequence devoted to the 2024 US presidential election, accusing the film of suggesting a link between Musk's Starlink satellites and supposed electoral manipulation.

In a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter, production company Jigsaw countered that critical examination of influential public figures is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. This is a principle that all Americans should defend, “including those close to Elon Musk, who has presented himself as a “free speech absolutist”,” she adds in the press release.

Alex Gibney's documentaries have often attacked powerful institutions or organizations, whether the Church of Scientology or the clashes between Israel and Iran in the field of cyber espionage, covered in Zero Days. The director won the Oscar for best documentary for Taxi to the Dark Side, dedicated to the torture and interrogation practices of the American army in Afghanistan. For several days, Elon Musk has been increasing attacks against Mr. Gibney on