Universal Is Getting Cold Feet on Releasing Its Elon Musk Documentary, According to a New Report

Documentary distribution deals rarely make major entertainment headlines on their own, but few subjects generate quite as much attention as the world’s richest man. Director Alex Gibney has spent years building a reputation for hard-hitting investigative documentaries, and his latest project set out to take an unvarnished look at Elon Musk’s rise to global influence.

Universal Pictures acquired international distribution rights to that documentary, titled ‘Musk,’ back in 2023, paying a multimillion-dollar price tag for the opportunity to release the four-hour film worldwide outside North America. At the time, the political landscape surrounding Musk looked considerably different than it does today.

According to an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter, Universal now appears to be having second thoughts about releasing the film at all. Citing two sources familiar with the situation, the outlet reports that Universal has not dated the movie, has not communicated with the filmmaking team about its plans, and generally appears to be rethinking the release of a project the studio once showed high enthusiasm for.

That hesitation comes despite a notably positive reception on the festival circuit. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in early September to reportedly five minutes of applause, with attendees shouting appreciation for Gibney’s investigation before it went on to screen at Toronto as well. Distributors in individual countries have reportedly been eager to acquire the film themselves, having previously been told it was already spoken for.

Domestically, the film remains on track for release through independent distributor Bleecker Street, opening October 9 in New York and Los Angeles before expanding nationwide on October 16. HBO also holds North American TV and streaming rights, acquired back in 2023 alongside Universal’s deal, and has continued supporting the project, including financing additional shooting once Musk took on his role in Washington.

According to THR’s reporting, the film has become “politically sensitive for parts of the Trump administration,” and alleges, among other claims, that Musk could potentially use data gathered during his time with the Department of Government Efficiency against Democrats ahead of the upcoming midterms. Musk himself does not appear as an interview subject in the documentary, though numerous people within his orbit do.

Musk has publicly dismissed the film, repeatedly calling it a “hit piece” and describing it as “boring,” despite no clear indication that he has actually seen it. His attorney, Alex Spiro, has also sent a formal legal notice letter to Gibney’s production company, Jigsaw Productions, raising the stakes for any potential distributor considering the film.

Official Teaser Trailer for new biographical documentary about Elon Musk distributed by Bleecker Street.

In theaters Fall 2026 pic.twitter.com/FQsvT6mNLZ

— PhoenixNexus (@Phoenix8Nexus) September 8, 2026

If Universal ultimately decides not to move forward, the studio would reportedly owe the filmmakers a kill fee, after which the rights would return to Gibney’s team to shop the film to a new international distributor. Given the level of interest already expressed by other distributors, the film likely wouldn’t struggle to find a new home should that scenario play out.

Universal declined to comment when approached by The Hollywood Reporter, and Gibney did not immediately respond to the outlet’s request either. No final decision has been made public at this stage, and it remains unclear whether Universal’s hesitation stems from political considerations or purely business ones.

With domestic release dates locked in through Bleecker Street regardless of what Universal ultimately decides, American audiences will have a chance to see ‘Musk’ next month no matter how the international distribution situation resolves. Whether the rest of the world gets that same opportunity anytime soon remains an open question for now.

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