Key facts
- Neon has acquired the distribution rights for the film "Artificial."
- Amazon MGM Studios dropped the film "Artificial" after signing a $50 billion deal with OpenAI.
- The film stars Andrew Garfield as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and centers on his controversial firing and rehiring in 2023.
- The cast also includes Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati and Yura Borisov as Ilya Sutskever.
- The film was written by Simon Rich and directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Neon has acquired the distribution rights for the upcoming film "Artificial," which chronicles the dramatic events surrounding OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's firing and subsequent rehiring in 2023. The decision by Amazon MGM Studios to drop the film came shortly after the tech giant announced a significant $50 billion partnership with OpenAI.
The film, directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Simon Rich, stars Andrew Garfield as Altman. Other cast members include Monica Barbaro as former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati and Yura Borisov as chief scientist Ilya Sutskever. The production reportedly portrays Altman and co-founder Elon Musk in a manner that might not be favorable to audiences, leading to speculation that this portrayal influenced Amazon's decision.
Amazon's withdrawal of the film, which had completed test screenings with reportedly warm reception, has drawn comparisons to patterns of corporate influence over content. The timing of the decision, following Amazon's substantial investment in OpenAI, suggests a potential conflict of interest or a desire to avoid negative portrayals of a key business partner. Producers are now seeking other distributors for the film, which has a reported budget of $40 million.