The inaugural trailer for Artificial, the long-anticipated biopic about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has been released, and it embraces a distinctly unsettling tone. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, known for his work on Call Me by Your Name, Challengers, and the Suspiria remake, the film stars Andrew Garfield in the lead role.
Rather than adhering to traditional biopic conventions, the trailer evokes the atmosphere of a horror movie. Set against harrowing musical scores, Garfield delivers a chilling, almost robotic performance as he extols the virtues of artificial intelligence. The protagonist refers to AI as “Pandora’s Box,” warning that “countries will fall” and “industries are gonna collapse.” In one striking sequence, Garfield is seen walking through a bunker-like room filled with weapons while discussing the inevitability of the future.
Artificial chronicles the chaotic events of 2023, when Altman was abruptly fired from OpenAI and reinstated just five days later. The film is scheduled for a Christmas Day theatrical release, arriving just three years after the real-life events that inspired it.
The project’s path to production was far from straightforward. Amazon MGM had initially signed on to release the film but withdrew after investing $50 billion into OpenAI, stating at the time that the movie would be better served by a different studio. Other major distributors, including Netflix, A24, and Focus Features, declined the project before Neon eventually stepped in to distribute.
In addition to Garfield, the cast features Yura Borisov, Monica Barbaro, Ike Barinholtz, Jason Schwartzman, and Mark Rylance.
Christmas Day release for a dystopian thriller about AI destroying industries? Talk about seasonal mood lighting. Count me in.
A Sam Altman biopic released three years later with horror elements? That feels like either brilliant commentary or just pure exploitation.
Did Amazon pull out because they invested billions in OpenAI? That plot twist behind the scenes is crazier than the movie itself.
Guadagnino directing a horror take on Altman is wild. Garfield looks genuinely disturbed in that bunker scene. I need to see this.