--- title: "The Director of “District 9” Says His Tesla’s Window Spontaneously Shattered For No Reason" description: "Neill Blomkamp, director of 2009's \"District 9,\" was apparently shocked to discover that his Tesla had a major malfunction." date: "2023-01-03" modified: "2023-01-03" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/district-9-director-tesla-window" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "elon musk" - "science fiction" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # The Director of “District 9” Says His Tesla’s Window Spontaneously Shattered For No Reason ![Neill Blomkamp, director of 2009's "District 9," was apparently shocked to discover that his Tesla had a major malfunction.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Windows Nein His whole career may be built on dystopian sci fi, but "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp was still surprised by a bizarre defect in his Tesla. In a [Twitter post on New Year's Day](), the South African-Canadian director posted a photo of a shattered interior window and asked if his followers had ever "heard of a Tesla window spontaneously cracking." "I’m sitting in \[my\] car and this just happened," he wrote. ## You Got Jokes Naturally, critics of fellow South African-Canadian Elon Musk were quick to point out the irony of Blomkamp's Tesla purchase and apparent incredulity, given that Musk seems a lot like a character from Blomkamp's filmography, characterized by dystopian tech and vast income inequality. "Can’t imagine doing a film like District 9 then buying a Tesla," [one user tweeted](), adding a "lmfao" for good measure. Another poked fun at the "[self-cracking windows]()," a jab at Tesla's [buggy and dangerous]() "self-driving" mode, while [Alex Roy](), founder of *Futurism*'s sister site *The Drive*, joked that the "teaser" for Blomkamp's latest project "looks promising." ## Cracking Up The "District 9" director hasn't yet followed up on his initial tweet, but the issue may be widespread. In a post on the [TeslaLounge subreddit]() last year, a user posted a photo of a small interior crack that formed "from the bottom up" with "no impact" on their Model Y window, asking their fellow owners if they had ever experienced something similar. Other responded saying that they'd had [similar problems]() with their Model Ys, with one adding that the cracks had [developed within days]() of taking the car home. There are, of course, a number of things that could have caused the crack. Some observers noted that Blompkamp's shattered window could have been caused by [thermal stress](), [speed cracks](), or good old fashioned [manufacturing defects](). Whatever the cause, the "District 9" director may now be rethinking his purchase from a car made by the IRL Iron Man. **More on Tesla problems:** [*Tesla Semis' Range May Fall Drastically When Hauling Things Heavier Than Potato Chips*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()