Neon to Acquire Guadagnino's OpenAI Film Dropped by Amazon
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- Neon is closing in on a deal to acquire "Artificial," a nearly-completed $40 million film directed by Luca Guadagnino, after Amazon MGM Studios said the film would "be better served if it were released by a different studio"
- Amazon MGM Studios announced its exit just months after the company signed a $50 billion partnership with OpenAI and less than a year after Altman appeared at Jeff Bezos's wedding
- Netflix, A24, and Focus declined to pursue the film after screenings organized by CAA Media Finance, while Mubi was also in the mix for distribution rights
- Andrew Garfield stars as Sam Altman, with Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk, Monica Barbaro as former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, and Yura Borisov as former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever; the script was written by Simon Rich
- The film portrays Altman as "deeply untrustworthy" and Musk as "highly dislikable," according to people who have seen the movie and read the script, though test screenings were reportedly positive
- Currently in final stages of post-production, "Artificial" had been eyeing SXSW but could now potentially debut at the Venice Film Festival, where Guadagnino's previous films have premiered
Why it matters: Amazon's exit from a $40 million OpenAI film, just months after announcing a $50 billion partnership with the company, creates a conspicuous conflict between Amazon's AI investment and its distribution decision. With Neon now positioning "Artificial" for Venice rather than SXSW, the film gains a higher-profile launch that could amplify its reportedly critical portrayal of Sam Altman as "deeply untrustworthy."
