Amazon Drops Distribution Plans for OpenAI Power-Struggle Film ‘Artificial’

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, “Artificial” centers on the November 2023 power struggle at OpenAI, which saw CEO Sam Altman fired and reinstated five days later. Andrew Garfield plays Altman. The governance crisis reverberated across the global AI industry, while Amazon’s new commercial relationship with OpenAI became a focus of controversy over the film’s distribution.

Amazon MGM Studios confirmed on June 19, 2026, that it would no longer distribute the nearly completed “Artificial,” after investing about $40 million in the film. The move prompted speculation about Amazon’s late-February announcement of a $50 billion investment in OpenAI, though neither company confirmed a connection. Neon acquired worldwide distribution rights on June 30 and plans to release the film in 2026, positioning it for an Oscar campaign.