Musk threatens legal action over 'boring hit piece' documentary

Elon Musk's legal team has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the creators of a four-hour documentary, accusing the film of defaming him. The September 3 letter, written by attorney Alex Spiro, claims Gibney's Oscar-winning documentary, produced by Jigsaw Productions, starts with a predetermined conclusion. The letter also alleges Gibney refused to fact-check the film with Musk or his close associates.

The documentary, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday, traces Musk's career and life from his dot-com entrepreneurship days to becoming a trillionaire. It also explores his personal life, including his difficult childhood and his numerous children with various women. The film has received critical acclaim, with Variety describing it as a "lacerating portrait" and Deadline labeling it "damning."

The letter notifies not only Gibney and Jigsaw but also everyone involved in the film's release, including HBO, Bleecker Street, and Universal. The documentary focuses on a specific sequence that accuses Musk of knowing early on election night 2024 that Trump had won, thanks to his Starlink satellites. Jigsaw responded by stating that scrutiny of powerful public figures is protected by the First Amendment.

Gibney's films often delve into powerful groups, including the Church of Scientology and Israel-Iran spy wars.