Alex Gibney, the director of a four-hour documentary about Elon Musk, says Universal "wavered" over releasing the film outside North America, according to comments he made to the New York Times.
Universal acquired the international distribution rights to the film in 2023. Gibney confirmed that the studio hesitated over its international release plans when asked directly by the Times whether Universal had wavered. The Hollywood Reporter had previously reported that Universal had grown reluctant about moving forward with the distribution deal.
The film premiered at Venice to criticism and insults directed at Musk by the SpaceX founder. In the United States, the documentary is being released by the independent distributor Bleecker Street rather than Universal.
Gibney did not elaborate on why Universal reconsidered its commitment to international distribution. The circumstances around the studio's hesitation remain unclear from available statements.