Universal Sets International Dates for Musk Documentary
Alex Gibney's 3-hour-45-minute documentary Musk will roll out across several countries starting January 15.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Documentary
Universal Pictures International has set international release dates for Alex Gibney's documentary Musk, which follows its U.S. theatrical run through Bleecker Street in October. The rollout begins in the U.K. on January 15 and continues in Germany, Spain, France and Australia through late February.
Why it matters
The international schedule settles questions about whether Universal Pictures International would release the film abroad after earlier wavering over its plans. The film has also faced legal threats from Elon Musk, the figure at its center.
The documentary runs 3 hours and 45 minutes and follows a U.S. theatrical release through Bleecker Street in October. Dates for additional territories remain to be announced.
The players
Alex Gibney
Alex Gibney is an American documentary filmmaker known for investigative works on corporate and political subjects.
Universal Pictures International
Universal Pictures International is the international distribution arm of Universal Pictures, handling theatrical releases outside the United States.
Bleecker Street
Bleecker Street is an American independent film distributor that handled the film's U.S. theatrical release.
The details
Musk is directed by Alex Gibney and premiered in Venice before a festival tour that included Toronto and London. The film continues to Lisbon, Amsterdam and Stockholm later this month, with international theatrical release following in the U.K. first.
Timeline
October: U.S. theatrical release through Bleecker Street
January 15: U.K. cinema release
January 21: German release
February 5: Spain release
February 17: France release
Industry Dynamics
The staggered rollout follows the common pattern in which a U.S. theatrical run comes first and international territories are released in sequence over the following months. Universal's decision to set dates after earlier hesitation reflects how distributors time overseas launches around festival and awards-season attention.
Viewers in the U.K. can see the film in cinemas starting January 15, with Germany, Spain, France and Australia following on later dates. Because the runtime is 3 hours and 45 minutes, audiences should plan for a long single sitting.
The takeaway
Staggered international releases give audiences in each market a window to see a long documentary on its own schedule. Check local listings closer to each date for showtimes.
What happens next
The U.K. release on January 15 is the first scheduled international date, with Germany following on January 21.
Further reading
Explore more documentary films to see how similar features are distributed across markets.
