Elon Musk has launched a sharp and public attack on Alex Gibney’s documentary about his life and career, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 9. The film, titled Musk, portrays the world’s richest man as a controversial figure whose ambitions, business practices, and personal life raise serious ethical questions, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

Elon Musk’s Response and Conspiracy Theories

After the film’s premiere, Musk took to his platform, X,formerly Twitter—to denounce the documentary as a “hit piece that misses,” calling it “boring af” and accusing Gibney of assembling a “hit list” of people with “axes to grind.” In a series of posts, Musk also reposted a conspiracy-style image depicting a puppet labeled “Alex Gibney” being controlled by another labeled “Team Soros,” which in turn is controlled by a puppet for the Democratic Party. Musk captioned the image “Accurate,” according to The Guardian.

He also responded to a supporter who said they had never heard of Gibney before the film came out, calling it a “psy op,” a reference to a planned psychological operation. “Gibney has zero integrity. Zero,” Musk wrote. “Dogshit is worth more respect than Gibney.”

Documentary’s Content and Production

Musk, which runs nearly four hours, was directed by Alex Gibney, known for previous documentaries on Enron, WikiLeaks, and Vladimir Putin. The film portrays Musk as a “petty, narcissistic, megalomaniacal” figure who has made controversial statements and taken actions that have had significant consequences, such as criticizing USAID and falsely claiming to have founded Tesla, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.

The documentary also includes interviews with Musk’s family members, including his first wife Justine Musk, children with Ashley St. Clair, and his father Errol Musk, as well as journalists and business associates. It was produced with a unique technique: since Musk refused to participate, his digital effects team created a CGI avatar that speaks using his recorded words, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Vietnam.vn.

Reactions and Release Plans

The film has already caused controversy and drawn attention since its premiere. It is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on October 16 and will later air on HBO, according to Vietnam.vn. Gibney has defended the film as a necessary and thorough examination of a man whose influence extends across technology, politics, and global culture.

Some critics have found the film’s length excessive, but others argue that its length is justified given the scale of Musk’s impact. “At 225 minutes, some will deem it too long a haul, but I found the film engrossing from the start,” wrote one reviewer from Deadline.

While it remains unclear whether Musk has actually watched the documentary, his public statements suggest a strong emotional reaction to its content. The film has become a cultural flashpoint, with both supporters and critics of Musk weighing in on its merits and accuracy.