Andrew Garfield stars as Sam Altman in Luca Guadagnino’s satirical drama Artificial, which premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 5, 2026. The film explores the meteoric rise of OpenAI, tracking the five-day 2023 ouster and return of its chief executive ahead of a Christmas Day theatrical release.
Luca Guadagnino Brings Silicon Valley Satire to the Screen
Director Luca Guadagnino frames his latest feature around the dizzying corporate and philosophical shifts behind the artificial intelligence boom. Working from a script by Simon Rich, the film details the early days of OpenAI, starting from a 2003 meeting at the University of Toronto where a young Ilya Sutskever met Professor Geoffrey Hinton. The narrative then follows Sutskever’s journey into the tech industry alongside Sam Altman.
Andrew Garfield steps into the role of Altman, portraying him as a charismatic strategist whose charm masks an unyielding drive for control. Garfield’s performance anchors a cast that includes Yura Borisov as Sutskever, Monica Barbaro as former interim CEO Mira Murati, Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk, and Mark Rylance as Geoffrey Hinton.
The supporting ensemble also features Cooper Hoffman as Greg Brockman. The satirical tone of the script incorporates dry humor to showcase the flaws and carelessness of tech figures, while Malik Hassan Sayeed’s 35mm cinematography provides a bright visual style alongside an original score by Damon Albarn.
Amazon Dropped the Project Before Neon Picked Up Distribution
The path to the screen proved as turbulent as the events depicted in the script. Amazon MGM Studios originally backed the production with a budget of 40 million dollars, but dropped the completed film in June. The studio cut ties after Amazon signed a 50 billion dollar deal with OpenAI, sparking widespread speculation across the industry regarding potential corporate sensitivities, with Netflix, A24, and Focus Features also keeping their distance.
Following the sudden drop, Neon executives gathered at the headquarters of CAA for a secret morning screening. The distributor ultimately acquired the film and scheduled a Christmas Day theatrical release in the United States, positioning it directly in the awards season race.
Andrew Garfield Reflects on Portraying the OpenAI Chief Executive
Preparing for the role left a lasting impression on the actor. Speaking to reporters, Garfield admitted that researching the technology and the corporate sector left him feeling cautious about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.
I got a bit scared. It feels like the people who are encouraging us to use the technologies don’t exactly know its capacities themselves. That feels a little irresponsible, to me personally.
Andrew Garfield, actor, via Variety
Despite the critical lens of the film, Altman himself offered a generous assessment to Vanity Fair, noting that the actor accurately captured his physical mannerisms and walking style. Garfield acknowledged the surreal nature of the depiction, expressing personal sensitivity toward being portrayed on screen while still actively managing the tech industry’s public spotlight. Other reviewers noted that the performance portrays Altman as both alluring and resembling an amoral tech figure.
Neon Campaigns for Holiday Release of AI Drama
Both Garfield and Yura Borisov have drawn early praise from critics and awards pundits, with Neon mounting a major campaign ahead of the holiday opening.
As audiences prepare to see the dramatization of the five-day 2023 ouster, the cultural conversation surrounding artificial intelligence continues to accelerate. The film arrives in U.S. theaters on December 25, followed by a U.K. release on January 22, 2027.