Neon has secured worldwide rights to Luca Guadagnino's AI drama 'Artificial,' starring Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman. Opens NYFF Oct 5, U.S. release Dec 25.

Luca Guadagnino's film Artificial will open the New York Film Festival on Oct. 5 and is slated for a U.S. theatrical release on Dec. 25 after Neon secured worldwide rights.

Film details

Directed and co‑produced by Guadagnino, the biographical comedy‑drama stars Andrew Garfield as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Yura Borisov plays chief scientific officer Ilya Sutskever, while Monica Barbaro appears as chief technology officer Mira Murati. The ensemble includes Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Chris O'Dowd, Ike Barinholtz and Mark Rylance.

The 140‑minute picture was shot in San Francisco’s Mission Dolores Park and in Turin, Italy. Malik Hassan Sayeed handled cinematography, Marco Costa edited the film and Damon Albarn provided the score. Production companies include Heyday Films, JF Films and Frenesy Film Company, with a budget of $40 million.

Production and distribution

Simon Rich wrote the screenplay and also served as a producer alongside David Heyman, Jeffrey Clifford and Jennifer Fox. Amazon MGM Studios originally planned to distribute the film worldwide, but withdrew in June 2026 after striking a $50‑billion partnership with OpenAI. Altman denied any involvement in the decision.

Neon announced a deal for worldwide rights on June 30, 2026. The studio said it will pursue an awards‑season strategy, with a limited qualifying run in late December followed by a wide release in early 2027. Picturehouse Entertainment will handle U.K. and Irish distribution, setting Jan. 22, 2027 for the local release.

Critical response

Critics have responded positively. On Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 37 reviews are favorable, with an average rating of 7.6/10. Metacritic reports a weighted score of 75 out of 100.

Critic Owen Gleiberman said the film is a "brilliant but playful docudrama" that rivals The Social Network in its energy. Critic Godfrey Cheshire called it "brilliant" and "scary," while critic David Fear described it as a "terrifying portrayal of the rise of AI." Stephanie Zacharek praised the film’s humor and called it "hugely entertaining".

Sam Altman said the movie looked like an "awful movie," but acknowledged that Garfield captured his walk and mannerisms. Garfield later denied that Altman ever waved at him outside his San Francisco home.

With strong festival buzz, a star‑studded cast and a timely subject, Artificial is poised to become a focal point of the 2026‑27 awards conversation.