Alex Gibney's nearly four-hour documentary about Elon Musk, titled 'Musk,' has faced significant hurdles in its theatrical release, earning only $672,000 over three weeks. While the film explores the world's first trillionaire and his global influence beyond just his political donations or involvement with the Trump administration, major social media platforms have treated it as political content. Meta and YouTube initially removed Bleecker Street's paid trailers before restoring them, claiming the removals were errors. TikTok permanently suspended the film's account on the weekend of its expansion to 500 theaters, citing violations regarding paid boosts for political content, though the account was reinstated two days later. X, owned by Musk, did not allow any advertising for the film.
Kent Sanderson, CEO of Bleecker Street, described the experience as a constant battle where promotional assets were repeatedly taken down and restored in a confusing cycle. Even after editing trailers to remove footage of Musk at Trump rallies, the content was still flagged. Sanderson noted that while still images and posters faced fewer issues, video content was consistently blocked, creating what he called an "absolute brick wall" during the critical opening weekend. He stated that this level of advertising suppression is unprecedented in his career and expressed frustration over the lack of transparency in the review processes with these tech platforms.
In response to the theatrical challenges, Bleecker Street moved up the Premium Video on Demand (PVOD) release date from late November to November 6. The reaction has been immediate and strong, with pre-orders priced at $20 outpacing other titles like 'The Odyssey' on Apple's platform. Sanderson remarked that this could be the most pre-ordered movie of his career, suggesting audiences may prefer viewing the lengthy documentary at home. Despite the shift to digital, the film will continue to play in select theaters, and discussions regarding a future streaming release on HBO and HBO Max remain active, with no hesitation reported from those partners despite Musk's recent investment in Skydance.
Sanderson emphasized that the suppression of 'Musk' extends beyond the film industry, touching on broader issues of free speech and message amplification. He pointed out that other entities, such as the No Kings Rally, faced similar account suspensions for political reasons during the same period. While acknowledging the need to prevent dangerous content, Sanderson argued that social media companies should not be the sole arbiters of this line, especially when the content in question is not inherently dangerous. The documentary remains in theaters and will be available for digital rental starting November 6, featuring a slightly extended cut.
Sources: IndieWire.