Artificial (2026 film)

Development

In January 2024, Simon Rich inquired to Amazon MGM Studios about a film idea about generative AI that came when he was at a wedding in 2022 with Dan Selsam, an OpenAI researcher. Jeffrey Clifford and David Heyman then came as producers by the studio. Rich completed his first draft script in May 2024. Heyman recalled hesitation about the studio, saying "There were conversations around the fact that Amazon was Amazon. But they readily embraced it".^[12]

In June 2025, it was reported that Guadagnino would direct the film for Amazon MGM Studios from a screenplay by Rich, with Rich as a producer alongside David Heyman, Jeffrey Clifford, and Jennifer Fox, and a cast led by Andrew Garfield, Monica Barbaro, and Yura Borisov.^[13] In July, Cooper Koch, Cooper Hoffman, and Jason Schwartzman joined the cast, with Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk.^[8][14][4] Billie Lourd, Zosia Mamet, Chris O'Dowd, Will Angus, Thaddea Graham, Nicholas Hamilton, Angus Imrie, and Will Price were added to the cast the next month.^{[9][7][5][10]} Mark Rylance was added to the cast in September.^[6] Anderson served as costume designer, marking his third collaboration with Guadagnino.^[15]

Filming

Principal photography began on July 30, 2025, in San Francisco at Mission Dolores Park and continued in Turin, Italy.^[3][16] Filming wrapped in September.^[17][12] Malik Hassan Sayeed is the director of photography, marking his second collaboration with Guadagnino after After the Hunt (2025).

Some footage in the film was captured outside Altman's home, where at one point Garfield waved to Altman while in costume;^[18] Garfield later debunked this claim.^[19]

Music

Damon Albarn, the main vocalist and lyricist of the British band Blur and co-creator of the British virtual band Gorillaz, composed the soundtrack and provided original songs for the film, his first collaboration with Guadagnino.^[20][21][22]

Distribution

Amazon MGM Studios was the original distributor worldwide and was reported in 2026 to have been aiming to release the film in the United States in early 2027,^[23] before opting to drop the film. The move received scrutiny for happening several days after Amazon signed a $50-billion deal with OpenAI. Amazon said that the film would chart better if it was released by other studios,^[17] but Variety speculated that Amazon withdrew because of the film's unsympathetic portrayals of Altman and Musk.^[24] Altman subsequently denied having any involvement in Amazon MGM's decision to drop the film.^[25] By June 2026, producers were shopping the film to other distributors while it was in post-production.^[26]

According to The New York Times, Guadagnino was shocked by the decision, as Amazon had been supportive of the film until then. The film was screened for other distributors, including A24, Focus Features, Netflix, Neon, and Warner Bros. Clockwork.^[27] Every studio but Neon passed, with Mubi also named as a prospective buyer.^[1] According to Page Six Hollywood, test scores were underwhelming and the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) screenings were not particularly favorable; sources close to the companies suggested that it was a question of taste, with some simply not liking the project.^[28] By contrast, Variety reported that test screenings went "very positively".^[24] By June 30, despite speculation that Mubi would likely acquire the film, it was reported that Neon was nearing a deal for it instead.^[29] Shortly thereafter, Neon confirmed its acquisition of the film's worldwide rights, planning to release it during awards season later in 2026.^[30] Some close to the film say Neon is bullish on its awards prospects, believing it "should at least feature in the awards conversation".^[31]

In July 2026, Page Six Hollywood reported that Neon had agreed to a deal on the condition that no minimum guarantee be attached to it.^[32] Deadline Hollywood later reported that the film is expected to skip the fall film festival rollout. According to the report, "multiple A-list festivals" were interested in the film, but Neon believed that was not the right route for it.^[31] The next day, Screen Daily reported that its outlet had asked distributors who considered buying the film what they actually thought of it. "The purported controversy had no impact", said one, referring to the initial belief that the film might be too much to handle after Amazon MGM Studios dropped it.^[33] The source, connected to one of the studios that viewed the film at CAA-organized screenings, said it had to do with the film's quality: "The film was viewed exclusively on its merits as a film. Unfortunately, it's dull, ponderous and another misfire from Luca. Its poor test scores and rejection from other buyers also reflect that."^[33] Sources at other studios that screened the film seemed divided on its merits; some called it "mediocre", saying it offered no new information about the saga or the billionaire protagonists.^[33]

Although initial promotional material originally stated Picturehouse Entertainment would be handling the film's British and Irish distribution, Neon later decided to self-release the film in those countries, setting a release date of January 22, 2027.^[34][35]

Theatrical release

According to Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera, Neon will be ready to release the film in wide release in early 2027, with a late December limited qualifying run planned. He said the studio needed time to arrange international sales, and that they did not want to premiere the film at Venice before selling it worldwide. Barbera said its absence from the festival lineup was due to timing and distribution issues rather than lack of interest, calling it "a straight commercial release".^[36] But on September 1, it was announced that the film would premiere in the Main Slate of the 2026 New York Film Festival on October 5,^[37] followed by a Gala screening at 2026 BFI London Film Festival on October 11.^[38] In September, the official release date was announced as December 25.^[39] The film will be released in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2027.^[34]

After watching the film's trailer, Altman described it as looking like an "awful movie", although he acknowledged that Garfield accurately captured his distinctive walk and mannerisms.^[40][41][25] He also said that the film's overall depiction of him wasn't accurate.^[18]