Universal Reportedly Getting ‘Cold Feet’ on Releasing Scathing Elon Musk Documentary

Universal Pictures may be having second thoughts about an eye-opening new documentary about Elon Musk after paying big bucks to acquire the film about the futurist billionaire, according to a report.

A final decision has not yet been made, but Universal appears to be leaning toward nixing its release outside of North America, according to an exclusive report in The Hollywood Reporter, citing two sources familiar with the situation.

Universal Pictures “has not dated the movie, has not communicated with the filmmaking team about its plans, and generally appears to be rethinking the release of a project that it once showed high enthusiasm for but is now politically sensitive for parts of the Trump administration,” the outlet reported.

Domestically, however, the film is set for release on October 9 in New York and Los Angeles via the independent Bleecker Street production company, and nationwide on October 16.

A rep for Universal did not comment when reached by The Hollywood Reporter.

The documentary’s director, Alex Gibney, recently told the Associated Press that Musk left those who know him terrified.

“Nothing compares to this in terms of the scope of his power. What’s interesting about Musk is it’s not so much something that’s new as an old wine in a new bottle,” he told the AP.

In a trailer that dropped earlier this month, interviewees are heard calling Musk “the greatest living inventor” and “the real-life Iron Man” — but also a “fascist” and a “nuke.”

Last week, Musk attorney Alex Spiro reportedly sent Gibney’s production company Jigsaw Productions a letter putting them on “formal legal notice.”

“You are on notice, before release, that the insinuation is false, that the material refuting it is public, and that you chose not to be told the rest,” Spiro wrote.

Watch the trailer above.

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