Elon Musk attacks Alex Gibney as documentary “Musk” expands nationwide
The film, which debuted at Venice, faces ad bans on major platforms and uncertainty over a planned HBO release.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Elon Musk has repeatedly insulted filmmaker Alex Gibney on X while the documentary “Musk” moves from limited screenings in New York and Los Angeles to a nationwide theatrical rollout on Friday, according to two Independent reports.
What happened
The film debuted at the Venice Film Festival last month and is now playing in select U.S. theatres, with a full‑country release slated for Friday. Distributor Bleecker Street says that, as of 25 September, paid ads for the documentary were blocked on X, TikTok, Meta and YouTube; Meta and YouTube later reversed their decisions, explaining the material had been flagged as political content.
What the reports add
- Both Independent pieces note that Musk has not watched the film and declined an Associated Press request for comment.
- The documentary was first announced three years ago, when Musk dismissed it as a “hit piece.”
- Questions have arisen about whether the film will appear on HBO as originally planned, after the Skydance merger that combined Paramount with Warner Bros. Discovery created a new entertainment conglomerate. CEO David Ellison, whose father Larry Ellison is a close friend of Musk, is mentioned in the context of possible influence over HBO placement.
- Legal threats from Musk’s lawyers have been reported, alongside Gibney’s claim that the filmmaker has a “really, really good” attorney.
- Gibney has been counter‑posting on X from his main account and a dedicated handle @muskfilmfacts to refute false claims and highlight alleged suppression.
What was said
“Idiot,” “horrible human,” “shill for the far left,” “tinfoil hat crackpot” and “zero credibility” – these are the epithets Musk posted about Gibney on X, the Independent reports recorded.
After the Venice premiere, Musk wrote that “dog feces are worth more respect than Gibney.”
“Would Musk be able to call Larry or David and say, you know, don’t put this doc on? Yeah,” Gibney told the AP, as cited by both Independent articles.
How it came about
The project began three years ago when Musk first called it a “hit piece.” Earlier this year, David Byrne collaborated with composer Daniel Pemberton to create a song built from Musk’s own public statements for the documentary, a story Felo News covered in David Byrne writes Elon Musk‑quoting song for new documentary. The film’s release was delayed by Universal, as reported by Felo on 17 September, before Bleecker Street secured a theatrical rollout.
Key facts
- The documentary “Musk” expands to a nationwide theatrical release on Friday. (independent.co.uk)
- Elon Musk has called Alex Gibney an “idiot”, “horrible human”, and other insults on X. (independent.co.uk)
- Paid ads for the film were blocked on X, TikTok, Meta and YouTube as of 25 September. (independent.co.uk)
- YouTube and Meta later reversed their ad bans, citing a “political content” flag. (independent.co.uk)
- The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival last month. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2023-09-XX — Documentary announced; Musk called it a “hit piece”.
- 2026-09-25 — X, TikTok, Meta and YouTube refuse paid ads for the film.
- 2026-10-12 — Nationwide theatrical release begins.
