Trailer released for Elon Musk documentary he calls a "hit piece"
Director Alex Gibney's nearly four-hour documentary about Elon Musk is set for US theatrical release on October 9, despite Musk publicly denouncing it as a "hit piece" and "psy op." The film has received positive early reviews.
A new documentary about entrepreneur Elon Musk, directed by Alex Gibney, has a runtime of three hours and 45 minutes and is already drawing strong reactions before its release. Musk himself has publicly criticized the project, labeling it a "hit piece" and a "psy op." Despite his objections, the film has so far received favorable reviews from critics.
According to Gibney, Musk refused to be interviewed for the documentary. In response, the filmmaker created an AI-generated version of Musk that speaks verbatim quotes Musk has made publicly, using it as a substitute for a traditional interview — a choice likely to spark its own debate.
What the film covers
The trailer touches on several well-known chapters of Musk's career: fatalities linked to Tesla's driver-assistance technology, his rocket company SpaceX, his acquisition of Twitter, the government efficiency initiative DOGE, and his at least 14 children.
People interviewed for the film include Musk's ex-wife Justine Musk, tech journalists Kara Swisher and Zoe Schiffer, engineers Martin Eberhard and Geoffrey Hinton, and former MAGA-aligned influencer Ashley St. Clair, who has a child with Musk. Writer Cory Doctorow and physicist Adam Becker also appear in the trailer.
Musician David Byrne co-wrote and performs an original song for the film, "Let Me Sell You a Dream," which incorporates additional quotes from Musk.
The documentary, simply titled "Musk," is scheduled for US theatrical release on October 9. According to Deadline Hollywood, Universal has confirmed plans for an international rollout in the first quarter of 2027, when the film will also begin streaming on HBO.
