Alex Gibney, director of the new four-hour documentary about Elon Musk, has revealed that Universal, the owner of the film’s international distribution rights, "wavered" over its release outside North America. Gibney confirmed this to the New York Times as the film premiered in the US, where it is being distributed by Bleecker Street.
Universal had acquired the international rights to the film in 2023. While a Variety story suggested concerns about "legal threats from Musk," Universal's previous statement maintained, "We’ve always been committed to releasing this film, and our plans haven’t changed."
Despite earlier hesitation, Gibney stated that plans for the film's international release are now back on track. He added, "We just had a meeting with [Universal], and we’re talking very concretely about a release plan."
Musk has posted criticisms and insults about the film following its Venice premiere, including calling it a "hit piece that misses" and threatening legal action. He also posted "Gibney is a douche" on X after his producer attempted to secure an interview for the documentary.