Andrew Garfield Plays Sam Altman in AI Biopic Trailer

Neon released the teaser trailer for 'Artificial' on Monday. The film stars Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman and opens December 25.

• Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film was written by SNL alum Simon Rich.
• Amazon MGM dropped the project after announcing a $50 billion OpenAI investment.
• Netflix, A24, and Focus all passed before Neon acquired it in June 2026.
• 5 days: the film focuses on Altman's firing and reinstatement as OpenAI CEO in 2023.

Why it matters: Amazon's exit from distribution spotlighted how major corporate partnerships can affect which films reach audiences.

• The trailer's tone leans toward thriller rather than traditional biopic, with Garfield's Altman delivering lines about collapsing countries and industries.

How 11 sources split on this story

Where they split: Coverage does not split on facts, but outlets diverge on whether the film's tone and Amazon controversy position it as a serious awards contender or a curiosity.

What’s next: The film premieres at the New York Film Festival on October 5.

• Neon is positioning the film on its awards season slate alongside other festival titles.
• Garfield has said he never met Altman and worked from transcripts and interviews — how Altman or OpenAI will respond to the portrayal is not yet known.
• Whether Amazon's investment in OpenAI will create any ongoing friction around the film's release remains unclear.