Musk menace d'une action en justice concernant le documentaire primé aux Oscars
Les avocats de Musk affirment que le film a été réalisé avec une conclusion en tête, ce qui a déclenché une menace juridique susceptible d'affecter sa diffusion.
Elon Musk's legal team has sent a formal warning to the producers of the new documentary "Musk", alleging the film was crafted around a pre‑determined narrative. The letter, dated 3 September and signed by attorney Alex Spiro, was addressed to a producer at Alex Gibney's Jigsaw Productions. It claims the Oscar‑winning director refused to let Musk or his close associates review the material for factual accuracy.
This project did not begin as an inquiry. It began with a conclusion.
The documentary premiered on Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a lengthy standing ovation and favourable reviews. It charts Musk’s rise from a South African dot‑com entrepreneur in the early 2000s to becoming the world’s first trillionaire, while also probing his turbulent childhood and his fourteen children.
Why the letter matters
Beyond the personal grievance, the letter puts the entire distribution chain on alert, naming HBO, Bleecker Street and Universal as potential defendants. It specifically targets a scene that suggests Musk knew on election night 2024 that former President Donald Trump had won because his Starlink satellites were used to sway the vote.
Variety described the film as a "lacerating portrait", while Deadline called it "damning" and said it painted Musk as "petty, narcissistic, megalomaniacal, cruel". The filmmakers responded via The Hollywood Reporter, invoking First Amendment protections and urging defence of free speech, even by Musk’s own supporters.
What could happen next
Spurred by the warning, Jigsaw has been instructed to preserve all raw footage, interview transcripts and internal communications. If Musk proceeds with a lawsuit, the case could delay the film’s rollout on HBO and its theatrical release through Bleecker Street and Universal. The outcome may also influence how documentary creators negotiate access with high‑profile subjects in the future.
Meanwhile, Musk has taken to X, dismissing the film as a "hit piece that misses" and branding it boring, signalling a public relations battle that will likely continue alongside any courtroom drama.
