Ashlee Vance announces the end of SpaceX Miniseries at HBO, looking for a new platform: "Fear of portraying Elon Musk seems to be the obstacle"

After five years of anticipation, a limited series centered on Elon Musk and SpaceX will not be moving forward at HBO. Ashlee Vance, Musks biographer, revealed on Wednesday that the adaptation of his 2017 book Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future has been canceled at the network, though he remains hopeful about relocating the project elsewhere.

Posting on the X platform, Vance shared, Its really disappointing, but this long-term project with HBO is dead. We were set to produce a dramatized series exploring the early days of @elonmusk and @SpaceX. The scripts were fantasticclever, humorous, and authentic. I truly think it could have been a huge success.

He added, The entertainment industry is challenging, and HBO underwent too many changes to sustain the momentum required. Additionally, there seems to be hesitation around creating content focused on Elon. Consequently, the rights to my biography have reverted to me. Im open to serious proposals to bring this story to life elsewhere.

The series, initially announced in October 2020 with Channing Tatums Free Association attached as producer, was scripted by Doug Jung. It was set to chronicle Musk as he assembles a team of engineers on a remote Pacific Island to develop and launch the first manned SpaceX rocket, the Falcon 9, which reached orbit on May 30, 2020.

Since 2020, Musks profile has expanded to include political endeavors and leadership roles, adding further layers to his public persona.

Author: Noah Whitman