Artificial is the new OpenAI drama from director Luca Guadagnino, with Andrew Garfield starring as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Billed as a biographical comedy-drama, the film recreates the chaotic five-day leadership crisis that rocked Silicon Valley in November 2023 — and it arrives in US theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026, via Neon.
Written by Simon Rich and featuring a score with original songs by Damon Albarn, the 140-minute film has already sparked awards chatter ahead of its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 5, 2026.
Artificial Movie Facts
Film: Artificial (2026)
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Writer: Simon Rich
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Yura Borisov, Monica Barbaro, Ike Barinholtz, Mark Rylance, Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Chris O'Dowd, Zosia Mamet, Cooper Koch, Billie Lourd, Angus Imrie, Nicholas Hamilton, Thaddea Graham
Music: Damon Albarn (score and original songs)
Cinematography: Malik Hassan Sayeed
Runtime: 140 minutes
Budget: $40 million
Release Date: December 25, 2026 (US); January 22, 2027 (UK)
Distributor: Neon
The Story
Artificial is built around the five-day November 2023 saga in which OpenAI's board dismissed CEO Sam Altman, only to rehire him days later after a dramatic standoff. The film turns that real-life Silicon Valley showdown into a biographical comedy-drama, with Andrew Garfield leading an ensemble that includes Yura Borisov as OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati. Principal photography took place in San Francisco and Turin, wrapping in 2025.
Cast And Characters
The ensemble cast of Artificial includes:
- Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman
- Yura Borisov as Ilya Sutskever
- Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati
- Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk
- Mark Rylance as Geoffrey Hinton
- Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Chris O'Dowd, Zosia Mamet, Cooper Koch, Billie Lourd, Angus Imrie, Nicholas Hamilton and Thaddea Graham in supporting roles
Music By Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn, the Blur and Gorillaz frontman, composed the score for Artificial along with original songs written for the film. It marks his first collaboration with director Luca Guadagnino, joining cinematography by Malik Hassan Sayeed and editing by Marco Costa on the $40 million production. Fans of new film music can also explore our coverage of The Social Reckoning soundtrack for more from this year's releases.
Release Date And Oscar Buzz
Artificial will have its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 5, 2026, followed by a gala premiere at the London Film Festival on October 11. It opens theatrically in the US on December 25, 2026, distributed by Neon, with a UK release set for January 22, 2027. The road to release had its own drama: Neon acquired the film in June 2026 after Amazon MGM dropped it following its reported $50 billion partnership with OpenAI, per Variety reporting.
Awards-season buzz is already building: Variety reports that Andrew Garfield and Yura Borisov have entered the race, with Neon campaigning Garfield in Supporting Actor and Borisov in Lead. For more upcoming releases, see our guides to Sinners (2025), Street Fighter (2026) and Eetha (2026).
Watch the Official Teaser Trailer
Watch the official teaser trailer for Artificial, released by Neon:
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Artificial releasing?
Artificial premieres at the New York Film Festival on October 5, 2026, opens in US theaters on December 25, 2026 via Neon, and releases in the UK on January 22, 2027.
Who plays Sam Altman?
Andrew Garfield plays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, leading an ensemble that includes Yura Borisov, Monica Barbaro, Ike Barinholtz and Mark Rylance.
Who composed the music?
Damon Albarn composed the score and original songs for the film — his first collaboration with director Luca Guadagnino.
What is the film about?
The film dramatizes the five-day November 2023 crisis at OpenAI, when CEO Sam Altman was fired and then rehired days later.
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