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Amazon Pulls Altman Film; Neon Picks Up Flick
30 Jul
Summary
- Amazon MGM Studios dropped the Luca Guadagnino-directed film about Sam Altman.
- Neon acquired the nearly-completed $40 million film after Amazon's exit.
- Andrew Garfield stars as Sam Altman in the OpenAI drama.
Andrew Garfield has shared his reaction to Amazon MGM Studios dropping the Luca Guadagnino-directed film "Artificial," a movie detailing the events surrounding Sam Altman and OpenAI. The Oscar winner expressed a mix of surprise and understanding, noting that while Amazon was supportive during production, the film might be a better fit for another distributor.
The nearly-finished $40 million production, scripted by Simon Rich, chronicles OpenAI's dramatic firing and rehiring of Sam Altman in 2023, with Garfield portraying Altman. Amazon's decision came despite a significant partnership with OpenAI, including a $50 billion investment, and occurred less than a year after Altman attended Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos's wedding.
Neon has stepped in to acquire the film and has committed to launching an awards campaign, positioning "Artificial" for this year's Oscar race. Garfield mentioned that he did not directly contact Altman for research, relying instead on extensive public documentation, interviews, and reporting to prepare for the role.
