Elon Musk is threatening legal action against filmmaker Alex Gibney over the documentary "Musk," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Musk's attorney, Alex Spiro, claims the nearly four-hour film is a biased "hit piece" that relies on witnesses with pre-existing grievances against the billionaire, including his estranged father, Errol Musk, and former partner Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of his children.

In a legal letter sent prior to the film's airing, Spiro stated that the documentary "did not begin as an inquiry. It began with a conclusion." He asserted that Musk's team attempted multiple times to present facts and engage in the fact-checking process, but claims those involved in the film's production refused to engage. "You have refused to screen the film, refused to fact-check it with us, and refused the witnesses who came to you," the letter reads. Spiro added that they "have every reason to expect that it contains further statements about Mr Musk that you know to be false, or whose falsity you have deliberately chosen not to investigate."

Musk himself took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize Gibney, calling him a "horrible human" with "ZERO integrity." He described the film as a "hit list of people who either have an axe to grind or don’t even know me." Musk also commented that the documentary "misses, and makes the fatal sin of being boring for 4 hours."

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Gibney, an Oscar and Emmy-winning director, reportedly began working on the film in 2023. The documentary explores Musk's rise to prominence and his significant influence over public discourse and politics. Gibney told Reuters prior to the screening that many individuals were hesitant to speak about Musk due to "tremendous sense of fear," describing it as an "almost existential fear."

IMAGE2 Musk argues the film relies solely on those who hold a grudge against him, including his baby mama Ashley St. Clair and estranged dad. Director Alex Gibney is pictured on the red carpet in Venice with St. Clair (at right) and journalist Zoe Schiffer

Musk's estrangement from his father, Errol Musk, is a matter of public record. His falling out with Ashley St. Clair, a conservative influencer and mother of one of his children, also occurred recently and was public. St. Clair's allegations surfaced during a contested custody and support dispute.

IMAGE1 Ashley St. Clair, 26, arrives at court in Manhattan last year for a paternity hearing regarding whether Musk is the father of her child

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IMAGE3 Musk and St. Clair were photographed together at Twitter's headquarters in May 2023

Spiro concluded the legal letter by stating, "Our door is open if you decide to check your facts with the people who know them. If not, we will proceed accordingly."