Provocative, Downright Horrifying

Key Points:

• Luca Guadagnino’s film "Artificial," centered on Sam Altman and OpenAI, premiered at the New York Film Festival to critical acclaim, with many calling it his best work in a decade and praising its provocative and visceral corporate drama.
• Andrew Garfield’s performance as Sam Altman has been highlighted as unsettling and transformative, capturing both charm and malice, while Yura Borisov and Damon Albarn’s score also received strong praise.
• The film explores themes of power, control, ambition, and greed during Altman’s 2023 firing and rehiring at OpenAI, with critics noting its relevance and dark comedic tone.
• "Artificial" faced production challenges after Amazon MGM Studios dropped the project due to a partnership with OpenAI, but Neon later completed the $40 million film, which opens in theaters on Christmas Day.
• The cast includes Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk, Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati, and Mark Rylance as Geoffrey Hinton, with awards campaigns planned for Garfield, Rylance, Borisov, and Barbaro.