‘Dull’ and ‘insight-free’ Elon Musk biography to inspire upcoming biopic

A biopic about controversial tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is in development from renowned director Darren Aronofsky and independent studio A24. They acquired the adaptation rights to Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography Elon Musk, published last year, which wasn’t received well by all.

Isaacson, former CNN chair and author of biographies on historic figures like Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, provides insights into Musk’s remarkable rise in several industries. The book gave birth to a few controversies itself and landed significant criticism for some misleading claims, with the author having to make corrections later. The Guardian called it a “dull, insight-free doorstop of a book.”

Born in South Africa, Musk endured a difficult relationship with his father Errol. The book explores how this childhood trauma may have shaped his relentless work ethic today.

As for the director, Aronofsky, known for intense films like Black Swan and recent best picture nominee The Whale, will helm the Musk project.

As CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and now X, he is consistently in the headlines for his bold ventures. However, the biography also aims to reveal the personal struggles Musk faced early in life.

At only 52, Musk has already helped revolutionize electric cars, private space travel, and global internet access. Yet his actions are not without critics, like a 2018 SEC fine for misleading tweets.

In the tweet, Musk had claimed that he could take Tesla private and had “funding secured” for it. He was fined $20m for misleading investors and was also forced to step down as CEO.