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Jun 22, 2026
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Amazon Drops Luca Guadagnino's Sam Altman Biopic Amid OpenAI Partnership

AI Summary
Amazon has dropped Luca Guadagnino's biopic about Sam Altman, citing a desire for the film to be released by a different studio. The decision comes after Amazon announced a significant partnership with OpenAI, of which Altman is CEO.

The End of Amazon's Involvement

Luca Guadagnino's controversial Sam Altman biopic, Artificial, has been dropped by its distributor, Amazon. The film, which stars Andrew Garfield as Altman and Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk, is reportedly not a flattering portrayal of the tech mogul.

The Partnership Between Amazon and OpenAI

Amazon's decision to leave the project comes in the wake of a significant partnership struck between Amazon and OpenAI, of which Altman is CEO. The deal will see Amazon invest $15bn in OpenAI immediately, followed by another $35bn in the coming months when certain conditions are met. This follows a $38bn cloud computing deal signed by the two companies last year.

The Film's Details

The film, scripted by award-winning comedy writer Simon Rich, wrapped shooting last autumn and is said to focus on the dramatic firing and rehiring of Altman in 2023. The hero of Rich's story is OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, played by Anora star Yura Borisov.

The Impact on the Film Industry

The decision to drop Artificial may be seen as a strategic move by Amazon to avoid any potential conflicts of interest given its new partnership with OpenAI. The film industry is closely watching how this will affect the release and reception of the biopic.

The Future of the Biopic

Amazon stated that it is working closely with the filmmaking team to find the film a new home. The film had been circling a wide release in early 2027, after an awards qualifying run in the US over Christmas.