Neon Acquires ‘Artificial’ Film Dropped by Amazon

The indie distributor Neon has acquired Luca Guadagnino’s film “Artificial,” a project centered around Sam Altman and OpenAI. This acquisition follows the unexpected decision by Amazon MGM Studios to drop the nearly finished $40 million film.

Amazon had announced it would no longer release the film earlier in the month, despite having committed to a $50 billion investment in OpenAI just months prior. The decision suggested that a different studio might better serve “Artificial.”

The film, starring Andrew Garfield as Altman, explores the events leading to the 2023 firing and subsequent reinstatement of Altman as the chief executive of OpenAI. Other notable cast members include Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov and Academy Award winner Mark Rylance. Ike Barinholtz portrays Elon Musk.

Neon, with a strong track record in awards season, announced that it intends to release “Artificial” this year to compete in the Oscar race. The studio has previously supported Oscar-winning films like “Parasite” and “Anora,” and has backed the last seven Palme d’Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival.

While the purchase price for “Artificial” remains undisclosed, Neon emphasized its dedication to collaborating with visionary filmmakers and offering ambitious cinema to global audiences.