Luca Guadagnino's upcoming film Artificial, inspired by the dramatic rise and internal turmoil surrounding OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, has been dropped by Amazon MGM Studios despite being close to completion. According to Variety, the project was nearly finished when Amazon pulled the plug following a newly announced collaboration between Amazon and OpenAI. The timing has raised eyebrows in Hollywood, given the irony of shelving a film based on one of the artificial intelligence industry's biggest stories shortly after entering into a business relationship with the company at its centre.
Artificial was set to chronicle the power struggle that unfolded at OpenAI in November 2023, when Altman was abruptly ousted by the company's board before being reinstated just days later after overwhelming support from employees and investors. Guadagnino had been attached to direct the feature, which reportedly boasted a high-profile cast and had advanced significantly through production.
The decision came shortly after Amazon announced a partnership with OpenAI aimed at integrating the company's artificial intelligence technology into Amazon devices and services. As part of the agreement, OpenAI's models are being made available through Amazon Web Services' Bedrock platform, allowing enterprise customers to access and build applications using OpenAI technology. Amazon has also incorporated OpenAI capabilities into products including Alexa+, its next-generation voice assistant. While the partnership is focused on AI infrastructure and consumer products rather than entertainment, its timing has fuelled speculation that the relationship may have complicated plans for a film portraying one of OpenAI's most turbulent chapters.
Neither Amazon MGM Studios nor OpenAI has publicly suggested that the partnership influenced the decision to abandon the project, and no official reason for the cancellation has been disclosed. The film had been regarded as one of the fastest-turnaround projects in recent memory, with Hollywood quickly moving to dramatise the extraordinary events that briefly plunged OpenAI into crisis. Industry insiders had viewed the project as a timely exploration of the personalities and power dynamics driving the artificial intelligence revolution.
Despite Amazon's decision, Artificial may not be gone for good. Variety reports that those involved with the project are exploring alternative options and could seek a new home for the film elsewhere. Given that the movie is reportedly close to being completed, producers are said to be hopeful that another distributor will step in.
The collapse of the project represents a surprising setback for Guadagnino, who has become one of cinema's most prolific directors in recent years with films including Challengers and After the Hunt. It also highlights the increasingly complicated relationship between Hollywood and the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence industry. For now, Artificial remains in limbo, but with the film nearly finished and interest in Sam Altman's story showing no signs of fading, its journey to audiences may not be over just yet.
