Director Alex Gibney responds to Elon Musk's threat to sue over 'Musk' documentary
Ahead of its 9 October US release, Alex Gibney's documentary "Musk" has drawn a defamation threat from Elon Musk's lawyer. Gibney says the threat misreads the film and has discussed the film in interviews.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Alex Gibney's documentary "Musk", an unflattering portrait of Elon Musk, opens theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on 9 October, distributed by Bleecker Street, before expanding nationwide. DeadlineN “Bleecker Street opens the documentary theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on October 9 before expanding nationwide.” Read at Deadline ↗ The film had its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and its world premiere in Venice. DeadlineN “after its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and world premiere in Venice” Read at Deadline ↗ Musk, through his attorney Alex Spiro, raised the prospect of a defamation suit over a part of the film relating to the 2024 presidential election. DeadlineN “Through his attorney Alex Spiro, Musk raised the prospect of a defamation suit over part of the film relating to the 2024 presidential election.” Read at Deadline ↗
In that sequence, Musk's former girlfriend Ashley St. Clair says Musk told her before election day that he would "unleash an anomaly in the matrix" to ensure Donald Trump won. DeadlineN “Musk told her before election day that he would “unleash an anomaly in the matrix” to ensure his preferred candidate, Donald Trump, came out victorious.” Read at Deadline ↗ Gibney told Deadline the threat is based on a faulty premise: he says the film does not claim Musk manipulated the election, but shows Musk's texts to St. Clair suggesting he had, leaving viewers to judge whether he was lying or truthful. DeadlineN “The film doesn’t say he did this to manipulate the election. The film shows that he was texting to his lover, suggesting to her that he manipulated the election.” Read at Deadline ↗ Gibney acknowledged that a threat from Spiro is "always a concern" and noted Musk's wealth, but said a lawsuit would expose Musk to discovery, where he would want to pursue Tesla autopilot safety and data obtained by DOGE. DeadlineN ““Is it a concern when braggadocious Alex Spiro fires a broadside and threatens to sue? Yeah, it’s always a concern,” Gibney admits.”“The danger of suing, as I discovered long ago when I did a film on Henry Kissinger,” Gibney observes, “is that you open yourself up to discovery.”” Read at Deadline ↗
The film alleges Tesla hid data from a Tesla that ran through a T-intersection in Florida in 2019, killing a 22-year-old woman. DeadlineN “The film alleges Tesla hid data stored on a Tesla S model that ran through a T-intersection in Florida in 2019, killing a 22-year-old woman” Read at Deadline ↗ After the Venice premiere, Musk used X to call Gibney a "horrible human" with "zero integrity" and a "bitter old man who lost the plot long ago"; Gibney in turn called Musk "a bullshitter" who inflated his role at Tesla and SpaceX, saying their products succeed "despite him, not because of him". DeadlineN “calling him a “horrible human” with “zero integrity,” adding for good measure that he’s a “bitter old man who lost the plot long ago.””“I think the products at Tesla and SpaceX succeed despite him, not because of him.”” Read at Deadline ↗ In a CBS News "The Takeout" interview, Gibney is quoted on the film as saying "He hires great engineers". CBS NewsLC “Alex Gibney on his new Elon Musk documentary: "He hires great engineers"”“Gibney joined "The Takeout" to discuss.” Read at CBS News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- CBS News presents a short interview segment on the film's imminent release, highlighting a more measured Gibney remark about Musk's engineers.
- Emphasis
- The film's release next week and Gibney's comment on Musk hiring great engineers.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the lawsuit threat or Musk's attacks in the available text.
- For example
-
“Alex Gibney's new documentary, "Musk," hits theaters next week.” — CBS News
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Deadline leads with the legal threat and the war of words, built around Gibney's candid interview remarks.
- Emphasis
- Gibney's rebuttal of the defamation threat, discovery as leverage, and his criticism of Musk's role at Tesla and SpaceX.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Provides no response from Musk or Spiro beyond Musk's X posts.
- Charged language
- “He’s A Bullsh*tter”“braggadocious”
- For example
-
“When the world’s richest man threatens to sue you, it’s enough to get your attention.” — Deadline
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Alex Gibney's documentary "Musk" is released in theaters next week.
- Gibney discussed the film in interviews with Deadline and CBS News.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the film asserts Musk manipulated the 2024 election
- Left
- CBS News's coverage does not address the dispute.
- Centre
- Deadline reports Musk's lawyer threatened a defamation suit; Gibney says the film only shows Musk's texts to Ashley St. Clair and makes no such claim.
Alex Gibney person
Says the lawsuit threat rests on a claim the film does not make, sees discovery as a possible upside, and describes Musk as a storyteller and investor rather than the inventor of his companies.
“they cooked up something that we said when we didn’t say it.” — Deadline
Left1 article
-
Alex Gibney on his new Elon Musk documentary: "He hires great engineers"
Neutral Brief video-interview promotion of the film's release, quoting Gibney crediting Musk with hiring great engineers.
Centre1 article
-
‘Musk’ Director Alex Gibney On World’s Richest Man: “He’s A Bullsh*tter”
Mixed Interview centred on the lawsuit threat and Gibney's sharp criticism of Musk, with the reporter relaying both sides' insults.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 1 Oct 21:38 First DeadlineN ‘Musk’ Director Alex Gibney On World’s Richest Man: “He’s A Bullsh*tter”
- 2 Oct 00:10 +2h 32m CBS NewsLC Alex Gibney on his new Elon Musk documentary: "He hires great engineers"
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.