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Musk Rejects Gibney Interview, Film Uses AI Avatar

9/9/2026

26 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Musk Faces Documentary

Alex Gibney’s documentary “Musk” premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
Elon Musk refused Gibney’s interview, so an AI avatar recreated his past statements.
Musk labeled the film a “hit piece” and called Gibney a “douchebag” on X.
Ashley St. Clair said Musk offered $40 million plus $100,000 monthly for an NDA, which she rejected.
The film cites Tesla Autopilot deaths, including a 2019 Florida crash and a $243 million jury award.

Summary

Musk Documentary Release

Bleecker Street will open the Musk documentary in select U.S. theaters on Oct 16, expanding nationwide on Oct 23.
HBO will broadcast the film later in 2026 after its theatrical run.
Wendy Schmidt’s 2025 investment gave her a controlling stake in Jigsaw Productions, the studio.
Black Bear handles international sales for the documentary.
The film will screen out of competition at Venice, then at Toronto.

History

Historical Context

In 2010 David Fincher released The Social Network, a biographical drama about Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook that earned $225 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. The film’s 96 % Rotten Tomatoes rating and its portrayal of tech founders as modern rock stars reinforced the view of Silicon Valley leaders as cultural icons.

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Musk Faces Documentary

Alex Gibney’s documentary “Musk” premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
Elon Musk refused Gibney’s interview, so an AI avatar recreated his past statements.
Musk labeled the film a “hit piece” and called Gibney a “douchebag” on X.
Ashley St. Clair said Musk offered $40 million plus $100,000 monthly for an NDA, which she rejected.
The film cites Tesla Autopilot deaths, including a 2019 Florida crash and a $243 million jury award.

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