Zhang Xin, founder of SOHO China and Closer Media, announced that the documentary "Musk," directed by Alex Gibney, will be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, with theatrical release set for October 16. She is one of the producers of the film.

The North American premiere is included in TIFF Docs, with an official runtime of 235 minutes (approximately four hours including intermission), and the first screening is scheduled for the morning of the 13th at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, with another screening on the 14th. The world premiere took place on September 8 at the Venice Film Festival in the non-competitive section. The U.S. distributor is Bleecker Street, followed by HBO for broadcast, with international sales handled by Black Bear and Universal responsible for some overseas theatrical releases.

Gibney spent nearly four years on the project, during which Musk did not participate in interviews and has criticized it as an aggressive work. The director relied on Musk's public interviews over the years and conducted new interviews with close figures including his father Errol Musk, as well as Justine Musk, Martin Eberhard, Kara Swisher, and Geoffrey Hinton. The production companies include Jigsaw Productions, Closer Media, Double Agent, and Anonymous Content. Zhang Xin confirmed her participation in the Venice and TIFF premieres in August.

Initial reviews from Venice have been generally positive, though the sample size is still small. TIFF documentary head Thom Powers stated that no legal threats have been received yet, but preparations have been made for potential controversies. The film examines Musk within the framework of artificial intelligence, the wealth and global influence following SpaceX's IPO. The theatrical release is set for October 16, positioned between the film festival buzz and the end-of-year awards season.

From a market mechanism perspective, this is a documentary release transaction. Buyers are theatrical and streaming platforms seeking a four-hour character study; sellers are transferring the Venice buzz to the North American premiere and then to HBO's distribution chain. The funds have been sunk into four years of production, with recovery dependent on October box office and subsequent licensing. Beneficiaries include HBO, which holds North American television rights, and distributors looking to generate discussion in capital and tech circles; those under pressure include the public opinion surrounding the subject who did not participate in the filming, as well as the limitations imposed by the extended runtime on scheduling. The event is driven by the producer confirming the release date.

Additionally, while Venice has screened the film, Toronto serves as the North American premiere, with the U.S. release on October 16, not a new film titled Threat.

Source: Public Information