Sam Altman-OpenAI saga headed for Hollywood; Luca Guadagnino to direct the film
Amazon MGM Studios is backing the high-stakes project, with filming expected to begin this summer in San Francisco and Italy.
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Luca Guadagnino, the visionary director behind Call Me by Your Name and Challengers, is gearing up to direct Artificial, a feature film inspired by real-life events surrounding OpenAI's leadership crisis in 2023.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Amazon MGM Studios is backing the high-stakes project, with filming expected to begin this summer in San Francisco and Italy.
The script is penned by satirical writer Simon Rich, who is also producing the film alongside David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford of Heydey Films. Jennifer Fox is also in talks to join the producing team, bolstering an already heavyweight creative line-up.
Andrew Garfield is in negotiations to portray Sam Altman, while Top Gun: Maverick star Monica Barbaro is being considered to play OpenAI's CTO Mira Murati.
Russian actor Yura Borisov is reportedly eyeing the role of Ilya Sutskever, the OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist whose actions were central to Altman's temporary ousting.
Artificial will dramatize the five-day saga in late 2023, when Sam Altman was unexpectedly removed as CEO over internal disagreements and mounting concerns around AI safety. The decision triggered a revolt by employees, investors, and even rival companies - culminating in Altman's reinstatement. The incident dominated headlines and spurred a global conversation about AI ethics, governance, and corporate power.
The project marks Guadagnino’s third outing with Amazon MGM, following Bones and All (2022) and Challengers (2024). Known for his layered storytelling and visual flair, Guadagnino is expected to bring emotional nuance and tension to the real-world tech drama.
With a career spanning over 25 years, the Italian auteur has helmed critically acclaimed films like Call Me by Your Name, I Am Love, Suspiria, and The Protagonists.
