Amazon MGM Studios has removed Luca Guadagnino’s Sam Altman drama Artificial from its slate. The studio confirmed it is now looking for a new home for the film.
In a statement, Amazon said: “We have the utmost respect and admiration for Luca Guadagnino as an award-winning filmmaker.” The studio believes the film would be better served by a different distributor and is working closely with the filmmaking team to secure its future. Amazon emphasised that its relationship with Guadagnino remains strong and that it hopes to keep working together.
Puck was first to report that Amazon had stepped back from the project. Other studios are reportedly screening the film, and discussions about its future are ongoing. Variety has since mentioned “positive” reactions at recent screenings.
This decision comes as Amazon deepens its business relationship with OpenAI, which is central to the film’s story. Amazon has agreed to invest $50 billion in OpenAI. It paid $15 billion immediately, with a further $35 billion to follow once specific conditions are met. This builds on a $38 billion cloud computing deal signed by both companies last year. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is also known to have a good relationship with Altman, OpenAI’s chief executive.
Directed by Guadagnino and written by Simon Rich, Artificial tells the chaotic story of the five days in November 2023 when Altman was suddenly fired by OpenAI’s board but reinstated shortly afterwards. Reports suggest the story focuses on OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, played by Anora star Yura Borisov, who was part of the board that ousted Altman before resigning from his own board seat.
The cast includes Andrew Garfield as Altman, along with Mark Rylance, Monica Barbaro, Billie Lourd, Jason Schwartzman, Cooper Koch, Cooper Hoffman, Zosia Mamet, Angus Imrie, Chris O’Dowd and Ike Barinholtz, who portrays Elon Musk. The depiction of Musk is said not to be flattering.
Artificial was reportedly aiming for an awards-qualifying release in the US over Christmas, followed by a wider rollout in early 2027. This timing is intended to avoid a clash with Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning, a follow-up to David Fincher’s The Social Network featuring Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg.
Mathures Paul
