The Verge Wire · Story 4
The film about Sam Altman has been dropped by Amazon MGM
Amazon MGM has dropped the film Artificial, a Luca Guadagnino-directed movie about Sam Altman's firing and reinstatement at OpenAI. The decision removes a major studio release for a project focused on a key moment in AI industry history.
This reflects Hollywood's interest in recent tech industry drama and the commercial risks of producing films about controversial figures in the AI world.
Key details
- The film titled Artificial was dropped by Amazon MGM.
- It is directed by Luca Guadagnino.
- The film covers the week in 2023 when Sam Altman was fired and re-hired as CEO of OpenAI.
- The article is from The Verge, published June 19, 2026.
Discussion angles
- The article reports the dropping of the film, highlighting the uncertain trajectory of tech-focused film projects.
- The focus on the week of Altman's firing and rehiring underscores the dramatic nature of that period in AI.
- The involvement of director Luca Guadagnino indicates the project had artistic ambition, yet still failed to secure distribution from Amazon MGM.