The first teaser trailer for Alex Gibney’s four-hour documentary Musk reveals a deeply polarizing portrait of Tesla, SpaceX, and X owner Elon Musk, according to release details from distributor Bleecker Street and reporting by Deadline. The 48-second clip sets contrasting audio commentary against scenes of spacecraft and astronautical devices, capturing both intense praise and severe criticism of the billionaire entrepreneur.
Venice Film Festival Premiere and Theatrical Rollout
According to production announcements, Musk will world premiere out of competition on September 8 at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Following its festival debut in Italy, the nearly four-hour documentary will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival. Bleecker Street scheduled a theatrical release for October 16, with HBO and the HBO Max streaming platform slated to debut the film on premium cable afterward.
Contrasting Voices in the Teaser Trailer
That tone shifts rapidly as other speakers weigh in with harsher assessments, calling him “chaotic, random, capricious, manifestly cruel and selfish” and labeling him “a fascist.” The clip concludes with a voice stating, “Elon is a nuke,” just as a spacecraft hits the ground and bursts into flames.
Did you know? Director Alex Gibney is an Oscar-winning filmmaker whose previous documentary subjects include Enron, Steve Jobs, and Scientology. Wendy Schmidt purchased a controlling interest in Gibney’s production company, Jigsaw Productions, in 2025.
Production Team and Public Feuds
Gibney first disclosed that he was producing the project in March 2023. Musk reacted on X/Twitter by predicting it would be “a hit piece,” to which Gibney fired back on the platform. The expansive documentary features an original song titled “Let Me Sell You a Dream” written and performed by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. Gibney directs and produces alongside Jessie Deeter and Erin Edeiken for Jigsaw Productions, Dana O’Keefe for Double Agent, Joey Marra and Zhang Xin for Closer Media, and Nick Shumaker and Jessica Grimshaw for Anonymous Content, with Ronan Farrow and Lawrence Wright rounding out the producing team.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Alex Gibney documentary Musk premiere?
The film premieres out of competition on September 8 at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.
Who is distributing Musk?
Bleecker Street is handling the theatrical release, while HBO and the HBO Max streaming platform will air the film on premium cable following its theatrical run.
How long is the documentary?
The film has a running time of just under four hours.
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