Amazon MGM Studios drops Luca Guadagnino’s nearly finished film “Artificial,” a biopic about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to multiple outlets. The movie stars Andrew Garfield as Altman and is described as covering a five-day period in 2023 that includes Altman’s termination and reinstatement as CEO. Amazon states that the film “will be better served if it were released by a different studio” and says it is working with the filmmaking team to find a new home for the project. Because the production is already well along, the film is expected to be shopped to other studios rather than halted completely.
The decision comes shortly after Amazon deepens its relationship with OpenAI. In February, Amazon announced a multi-year strategic partnership with OpenAI that includes a reported $50 billion investment. Several reports note the timing, framing the drop as a change in Amazon’s approach to the project following that partnership announcement. The outlets also describe the film as being positioned for an awards campaign next year. Specific release dates and the reason behind Amazon’s decision beyond the statement are not detailed in the reporting.
