Musk (2026): cast, story, release date and box office

Musk (2026) is a documentary film directed by Alex Gibney, released in the United States on October 9, 2026. It follows billionaire Elon Musk and examines his influence in contemporary politics. The film premiered out of competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 8, 2026. It is a 225-minute documentary with an R rating, distributed by Bleecker Street.

The film presents a 'definitive and unvarnished examination' of Elon Musk, exploring his rise from innovator to a figure with significant political influence. It traces how Musk's actions and public statements have shaped public discourse and policy, particularly on the right. The narrative builds through interviews with Musk's ex-wife, child custody rival, journalists, and engineers, offering multiple perspectives on his impact.

The cast includes Justine Musk, Kara Swisher, Ashley St. Clair, Sam Harris, and Cory Doctorow. The film was produced by Alex Gibney, Jessie Deeter (Jigsaw Productions), Dana O'Keefe (Double Agent), Joey Marra and Zhang Xin (Closer Media), with Nick Shumaker and Jessica Grimshaw from Anonymous Content. Composer Daniel Pemberton collaborated with David Byrne on the track 'Let Me Sell You a Dream', where Elon Musk's words appear verbatim.

The film was released theatrically in the United States by Bleecker Street on October 9, 2026. It was previously scheduled for October 16, 2026. The film's TikTok account was suspended for multiple days, citing a violation of policy on political content, without specifying the nature of the violation.

The film received positive critical reception. Rotten Tomatoes shows 41 critic assessments, 98% of which are favorable, averaging 7.9 out of 10. Alex Gibney's film 'Musk' presents Elon Musk's shift from admired innovator to a divisive figure, analyzing the wide impact of his actions. It scores 76 on Metacritic, reflecting generally positive reception. Owen Gleiberman of Variety called it 'a lacerating and important watch' and noted that 'what should scare us about him is how he coddles his own interests'.