‘Musk’ Director Alex Gibney Wants to Know if Democrats Can Now Hold Elon Musk Accountable

Alex Gibney, the director of the documentary "Musk," inquired at a recent screening of his film at the WIRED World Fair about whether the Democrats' potential control of the House and Senate would enable them to conduct thorough investigations into Elon Musk's actions, given the overwhelming influence of money in politics. The documentary explores multiple government investigations into Musk and suggests that his support for Republican candidates may have been partly driven by these probes.

Gibney highlighted Musk's substantial donations to Republican groups, totaling over $474 million this election cycle, and pointed out that Texas had seen Democrats win statewide elections in decades. Musk, known for his close ties with Texas, contributed at least $158 million to super PACs backing Ken Paxton, who was running against Talrico.

Gibney notes that while Musk's financial resources are immense, much of his money is tied up in his companies' stocks, raising questions about the potential impact of stock market fluctuations on his ability to influence elections. During the making of "Musk," Gibney interviewed Musk's ex-wife Justine Wilson and ex-girlfriend Ashley St. Clair, as well as tech insiders and WIRED editors.

Musk declined to be interviewed, and the filmmakers used public statements paired with a simulated avatar to represent him in the film. Musk has criticized the documentary as "a hit piece," and Musk's attorney has threatened a defamation lawsuit before its release. The film's distribution has been challenging, with Bleecker Street, the distributor, moving the release date after positive festival reviews.

Major platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Meta declined to advertise the trailer, while X, formerly Twitter, did not advertise it at all. Musk becomes available for rental or purchase on November 6, marking the end of its theatrical run.