Entertainment · Film · 5 hrs ago
Alex Gibney’s Musk documentary appears to be leaving most theaters
Alex Gibney’s documentary Musk examines Elon Musk, the billionaire business owner.
The 225-minute film opened in a small number of theaters on October 9, then expanded to hundreds of screens the following week.
The film earned little at the box office, though the two accounts give different totals.
Theater listings appear outdated, and showtimes are now available in only a small number of locations.
A nationwide pull has not been confirmed, and poor ticket sales may explain why theaters are dropping it.
Musk has criticized the film, and X banned its ads; TikTok briefly suspended a promotional ad account before restoring it, saying the suspension was an error.
HBO Documentary Films holds the US streaming rights, but no date for the film’s home release is given.
Alex Gibney’s documentary Musk appears to have disappeared from most theaters after about two weeks of wide release.
The film opened in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles on October 9, then expanded to hundreds of screens on October 16.
Reports say the documentary earned weak box office returns, though the articles give different totals.
The apparent pullback has not been confirmed by other outlets, and theater listings cited by the reports were out of date.
Alex Gibney has urged people to see the film while it is still showing; HBO Documentary Films holds its U.S. streaming rights.
- Who
- Alex Gibney directed the documentary about Elon Musk. Distributor Bleecker Street released it.
- What
- The documentary appears to be leaving most theaters after about two weeks of wide release.
- When
- It opened in limited release on October 9 and expanded on October 16. Reports about its apparent withdrawal were published on October 24.
- Where
- The film opened in New York and Los Angeles, then expanded to theaters across the United States.
- Why
- The reports cite weak box office returns and the film’s long runtime as possible reasons. A withdrawal has not been confirmed.
Elon Musk
Alex Gibney and the filmmakers
View of the documentary
Elon Musk
Musk called the film a “psyop,” according to Gizmodo, and reportedly threatened the filmmakers with lawsuits.
Alex Gibney and the filmmakers
The film presents a highly negative portrayal of Musk, according to AV Club.
Promotion and availability
Elon Musk
Gizmodo reports that Musk banned ads for the documentary on X.
Alex Gibney and the filmmakers
Gibney has urged fans to see the film while it remains in theaters, according to AV Club.
The documentary opened in a limited release in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles.
Bleecker Street was purchased by Outerlight Entertainment, according to Gizmodo.
The film expanded to hundreds of theaters; Gizmodo reports that it reached 472 screens.
Bleecker Street’s theater list still showed the film, but the site said the list had last been updated on October 20.
AV Club and Gizmodo reported that the documentary appeared to be leaving most theaters, while noting that the reports were unconfirmed.
- Runtime
- 225 minutes, according to Gizmodo
- Limited release
- Four theaters in New York and Los Angeles on October 9
- Wide release
- 472 screens, according to Gizmodo
- Second weekend gross
- $290,000, according to Gizmodo
- Reported total gross
- Gizmodo cited $571,902; AV Club said the film had made less than $1 million
- U.S. streaming rights
- HBO Documentary Films holds them, according to AV Club
3 sources
What people are saying
See it while you can
psyop
an error