Amazon drops – Luca Guadagnino’s nearly completed movie “Artificial” has been dropped by Amazon MGM Studios, with Andrew Garfield set to portray OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The decision lands just months after Amazon’s $50 billion investment into OpenAI.
When Luca Guadagnino was deep into finishing his nearly completed film Artificial, Amazon MGM Studios still had the project on its slate — until it didn’t. Amazon has decided to drop the movie, leaving the filmmakers scrambling to find a new home for a title that’s already been a major undertaking.
Artificial centers on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, with Oscar-nominated actor Andrew Garfield set to play the tech billionaire. The turnaround comes only months after Amazon made a major $50 billion investment into OpenAI as part of a new partnership between the companies.
Amazon’s move wasn’t delivered as a distant press release. Puck reports that Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios chief Mike Hopkins told Luca and the film’s producers that the studio would be taking the movie off its slate.
Amazon now confirms the decision. A spokesperson for Amazon told THR. “We have the utmost respect and admiration for Luca Guadagnino as an award-winning filmmaker — not to mention a longstanding relationship that we hope to continue. We believe that Artificial will be better served if it were released by a different studio and are working closely with the filmmaking team to find the film a new home.”.
Artificial, though, is already well into its life on screen. Plot details have been kept under wraps. but the film has previously been described as a “comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence.” It’s also said to trace the days in 2023 when Altman was fired and then rehired by the company. with Anora‘s Yura Borisov starring as co-founder Iya Stuskever.
The cast list reflects how closely the project is stitched to the real-world tech headlines it’s echoing. Alongside Garfield is Monica Barbaro — who is Garfield’s real-life girlfriend — as well as Jason Schwartzman. Cooper Hoffman. Cooper Koch. Ike Barinholtz. Billie Lourd. Zosia Mamet. Angus Imrie. Chris O’Dowd and Mark Rylance.
With Amazon no longer backing the release, Artificial is being shopped to other studios. Variety reports that there were “positive” reactions at screenings this week.
So the question now shifts from what Artificial is about to where it will land next — and how quickly the filmmakers can secure a new studio partner after a project that was nearly finished lost its place at Amazon MGM Studios.
Amazon MGM Studios Luca Guadagnino Artificial Andrew Garfield Sam Altman OpenAI Mike Hopkins Prime Video Monica Barbaro Yura Borisov Anora Billie Lourd Mark Rylance