Home · Entertainment · Sep 7 archive
Alex Gibney’s Musk: A Harsh Portrait of the World’s Richest Man
Confirmed
In Short: In his new documentary, Alex Gibney presents a critical view of Elon Musk, described as 'chaotic.
Alex Gibney, one of documentary’s most respected figures, has released a teaser-trailer for his highly anticipated film 'Musk,' which is not a flattering portrayal of the world’s richest man. The documentary, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival, is described as a critical examination of Musk, with one observer calling him 'chaotic, random, capricious,' and another labeling him 'manifestly cruel and selfish.
The teaser trailer begins with Musk’s admirers praising him, but quickly shifts to harsher critiques. One observer notes, 'In a science fiction novel, he would not be a hero.' This portrayal is part of a larger narrative that has seen Musk and Gibney engage in a public feud, with Musk branding Gibney a 'douche' on Twitter.
Gibney’s film, which is backed by Wendy Schmidt, a multi-billionaire, is set to run for nearly four hours. The documentary aims to explore the future of democracy, with Gibney stating, 'At stake with Musk is nothing less than the future of democracy.' The film has been in the works since late 2022, with HBO executives expressing interest in financing more.
Following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the documentary will make its way to the Toronto Film Festival. The film is set to open in theaters on October 16, 2026, and will also be available on HBO in 2027. Gibney has been working to finish the film in time for these screenings, making small tweaks to ensure it is ready for release.
The documentary aims to provide a new perspective on Musk, who is described as epitomizing the familiar. With the film set to open in theaters and on HBO, audiences will have the opportunity to form their own opinions about the controversial figure.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Leaving epithets aside, what can be said about Gibney is that he is one of documentary’s most respected figures, and the Oscar-winning director of Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, Zero Days and many other documentaries.
- Yes, the teaser begins with voices of some people heaping praise on Elon Musk – one idolator roaring he’s “the greatest capitalist in history!” But those encomiums are quickly followed by harsher appraisals from Musk observers: “He’s chaotic, random, capricious,” says one.
- He and Musk have already tangled on the X/Twitter platform, with the mega-billionaire branding him a “douche.” (To which Gibney amusingly retorted, “Douché.”).
- RELATED: Telluride Film Festival 2026: Read All Of Deadline’s Reviews It’s perhaps worth noting that Gibney enjoys the backing of a multi-billionaire too – Wendy Schmidt, who bought a controlling interest in Gibney’s production company, Jigsaw Productions in 2025.
- RELATED: Venice Film Festival 2026: Read All Of Deadline’s Reviews In 2024, Gibney appeared on Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast and gave us something of a preview of the film.
- HBO executives called Gibney telling him they wanted and would finance more.