Tampa Entrepreneur, College Hunks Co-Founder Backs New Film On Elon Musk’s Early Tesla Years

TAMPA, FL — Tampa entrepreneur and College Hunks co-founder Nick Friedman is helping bring a new film about Elon Musk’s early Tesla years to theaters this fall.

Friedman is serving as executive producer and will also appear on-screen in “Elon,” according to a news release. The film’s first trailer debuted Monday. (Watch the trailer below.)

Produced by entrepreneur-filmmaker Armando Gutierrez, who also stars as Musk - the world’s richest man -he film centers on “the volatile early years” of Tesla, including near-bankruptcy moments, leadership conflicts and efforts to keep the company alive, the news release said,

The project arrives as Musk’s businesses, including Tesla, SpaceX, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, continue to grab headlines and pique interest.

And with SpaceX’s Wall Street debut on Friday, the rocket company soared 25 percent, making Musk the world’s first trillionaire.

The film “Elon,” though, focuses on his early business struggles and breakthroughs that helped shape Tesla during its formative years.

• Also Read: SpaceX Soars 25% In Wall Street Debut And Makes Elon Musk The First Trillionaire

“What drew me to this story was the entrepreneurial journey,” Friedman said. “At its core, this isn’t just a film about Elon Musk. It’s a film about conviction, resilience, resourcefulness and what it takes to pursue an idea when almost everyone tells you it can’t be done.”

Gutierrez said the film looks at Musk before he became a larger public figure tied to a global business empire.

“Whether you admire Elon Musk, disagree with him, or simply find him fascinating, it’s impossible to deny his impact on modern history,” Gutierrez said. “This film focuses on the entrepreneur before the mythology — the risk-taker who repeatedly bet everything on a vision that many believed would fail.”

Friedman and Gutierrez previously worked together on the feature film “Bezos: The Beginning,” about Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The two share an interest in telling origin stories about entrepreneurs who reshaped industries through innovation and persistence, the news release said.

The cast includes emerging talent along with appearances from entrepreneurs, creators and social media influencers.

The producers plan a limited theatrical release this fall, followed by broader distribution discussions with streaming and digital platforms.

Watch the "Elon" trailer:

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