Alex Gibney, director of the new four-hour documentary about Elon Musk, said that Universal, owners of the film\u2019s international distribution rights \u201cwavered\u201d over releasing the film outside North America.<\/p>\n
Gibney was speaking to the New York Times<\/a> as the film opened in the US (where it is being released by the independent distributor Bleecker Street), and appeared to confirm a story in the Hollywood Reporter<\/a> that Universal, which had acquired the international rights to the film in 2023<\/a>, had got cold feet. Asked by the New York Times, \u201cDid Universal Pictures waver in setting up its international release plans?\u201d Gibney replied: \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n A subsequent story in Variety suggested that<\/a> Universal had been concerned about \u201clegal threats from Musk\u201d, but that the studio had \u201calways been enthusiastic about releasing the film internationally\u201d. Gibney was asked: \u201cSo it wasn\u2019t about legal clearances?\u201d The film-maker replied: \u201cYou can walk and chew gum at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n However, it appears plans are back on track, as Gibney added: \u201cWe just had a meeting with [Universal], and we\u2019re talking very concretely about a release plan.\u201d<\/p>\n Gibney also said his producer Jessie Deeter, who knew Musk from two previous films, had attempted on several occasions to ask Musk to be interviewed for the film. Musk\u2019s response was to post \u201cGibney is a douche\u201d<\/a> on X, the social media platform owned by Musk-founded company SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n