Artificial (2026) Trailer: Release Date, Story, Cast & Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman in Luca Guadagnino’s AI Drama

What really happened inside OpenAI — and what does it take to control the future of artificial intelligence?

Those questions are at the heart of Artificial, Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming drama starring Andrew Garfield as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

The film turns one of the most extraordinary corporate power struggles of the AI era into a feature-length drama, following the people, personalities and technological ambitions behind the rise of OpenAI.

At the center is Altman’s explosive 2023 firing and return, but Artificial is not simply a dramatization of one chaotic weekend. The film reportedly reaches much further back, beginning with the development of machine-learning research and following the relationships that eventually led to the creation and rise of OpenAI.

The result is an ambitious new film from the director of Call Me by Your Name, Suspiria, Bones and All and Queer, with a screenplay by Simon Rich and a major ensemble cast that includes Yura Borisov, Monica Barbaro, Mark Rylance, Cooper Hoffman, Ike Barinholtz, Jason Schwartzman and Chris O’Dowd.

Here’s everything to know about Artificial, including the trailer, release date, story, Andrew Garfield’s Sam Altman transformation, cast and the real events behind the movie.

Artificial Release Date

Artificial will be released in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2026.

The film will first have its world premiere at the 2026 New York Film Festival on October 5, 2026, where Luca Guadagnino and members of the cast are scheduled to appear. Film at Lincoln Center lists the movie as a 2026 U.S. production with a 140-minute runtime.

That makes Artificial one of the major prestige films arriving during the 2026 holiday movie season.

Artificial (2026) Movie Details

Watch the Artificial Official Teaser Trailer

The first official teaser introduces Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman and establishes the film as a tense drama about the people fighting over the future of artificial intelligence.

The movie’s biggest selling point isn’t futuristic spectacle.

It is the fact that the story is based on real people and real events.

Garfield’s Altman is surrounded by figures who played major roles in the development of OpenAI and the broader AI industry, including Ilya Sutskever, Mira Murati and Greg Brockman.

And behind them all is a much bigger question:

Who gets to decide where artificial intelligence goes next?

Film at Lincoln Center describes the finished movie as a “thrilling, funny, and very human” drama that moves through two decades of machine-learning research and technological ambition before arriving at today’s AI crisis.

What Is Artificial About?

Artificial is a dramatic retelling of the people and events surrounding the rise of artificial intelligence, with particular attention paid to Sam Altman and OpenAI.

The story begins years before OpenAI became one of the world’s most powerful AI companies.

According to Film at Lincoln Center, the film begins in 2003, when Soviet-born computer scientist Ilya Sutskever, played by Yura Borisov, studies artificial neural networks under University of Toronto professor Geoffrey Hinton, portrayed by Mark Rylance.

A decade later, Sutskever — then working at Google — crosses paths with a young entrepreneur named Sam Altman, played by Andrew Garfield.

Their paths eventually lead toward OpenAI.

And from there, the film moves toward the extraordinary events that transformed the company into one of the most influential forces in modern technology.

The Real Story Behind Artificial

The biggest reason Artificial has already generated so much attention is that its central conflict actually happened.

In November 2023, Sam Altman was abruptly removed as CEO of OpenAI by the company’s board.

The decision immediately triggered a crisis inside the company.

Altman’s removal was followed by an extraordinary sequence of negotiations, employee pressure and leadership changes before he ultimately returned as OpenAI’s CEO.

That episode is one of the major dramatic elements of Artificial.

But the film appears to be treating the 2023 crisis as the culmination of a much longer story rather than its entire subject.

That distinction is important.

This isn’t simply a movie about “the weekend Sam Altman was fired.”

It’s about the technological and personal journey that led to that moment.

Who Plays Sam Altman in Artificial?

Andrew Garfield plays Sam Altman.

Garfield takes on one of the most recognizable technology executives of the modern era, portraying Altman during the period when OpenAI transformed from an ambitious AI research organization into a company at the center of the global AI race.

The casting is particularly intriguing because Garfield’s filmography has largely centered on fictional characters and historical figures rather than technology executives who remain active public figures.

In Artificial, he is playing a person whose real-world decisions are still shaping the technology industry.

Who Is Ilya Sutskever in Artificial?

Yura Borisov plays Ilya Sutskever, the computer scientist and OpenAI co-founder who became one of the key figures in the company’s 2023 leadership crisis.

Sutskever is an especially important character in the movie because the story begins with his early work in machine learning.

Film at Lincoln Center identifies Sutskever’s early academic work under Geoffrey Hinton as one of the starting points for the film’s story.

That means the movie isn’t presenting AI as something that suddenly appeared with ChatGPT.

Instead, it traces the technology’s development over decades.

Who Is Monica Barbaro Playing?

Monica Barbaro plays Mira Murati, the former OpenAI chief technology officer.

Murati became a prominent figure during the company’s 2023 crisis and briefly served as interim CEO following Altman’s removal.

Her position puts her directly inside the power struggle that forms one of the film’s most dramatic chapters.

Who Is Mark Rylance Playing?

Mark Rylance plays Geoffrey Hinton, the pioneering computer scientist often described as the “Godfather of AI.”

Hinton’s inclusion is significant because it connects the film’s modern corporate story to the much earlier scientific research that helped make today’s AI revolution possible.

Film at Lincoln Center specifically identifies Hinton as the University of Toronto professor under whom Sutskever studied artificial neural networks in the film’s opening period.

Who Plays Elon Musk in Artificial?

Ike Barinholtz plays Elon Musk.

Musk is one of the more recognizable real-world figures appearing in the film.

The movie’s portrayal of Musk is likely to attract particular attention because Musk’s relationship with OpenAI has become increasingly complicated since the company’s founding.

His inclusion also widens the story beyond the Altman-Sutskever conflict and places OpenAI within the larger battle over the future direction of artificial intelligence.

Artificial Cast

The film features an unusually large ensemble of recognizable actors.

Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman

Garfield leads the film as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Yura Borisov as Ilya Sutskever

Borisov plays OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever.

Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati

Barbaro portrays former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.

Cooper Hoffman as Greg Brockman

Hoffman plays Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s co-founder and former board chairman.

Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk

Barinholtz portrays Elon Musk.

Mark Rylance as Geoffrey Hinton

Rylance plays pioneering AI researcher Geoffrey Hinton.

Jason Schwartzman

Schwartzman also appears in the ensemble, although his specific role has not been publicly identified in the supplied casting information.

Chris O’Dowd

Chris O’Dowd is also part of the ensemble.

Additional Cast

The cast also includes:

• Cooper Koch
• Billie Lourd
• Zosia Mamet
• Angus Imrie
• Nicholas Hamilton
• Thaddea Graham
• Will Angus
• Will Price

The principal ensemble announced for the movie includes Garfield, Borisov, Barbaro, Hoffman, Schwartzman, O’Dowd, Barinholtz and Rylance. Film at Lincoln Center also highlights Garfield and Borisov as the film’s central performances.

Who Directed Artificial?

Luca Guadagnino directed Artificial from a screenplay by Simon Rich.

That combination is one of the film’s most unusual elements.

Guadagnino is best known for character-driven films including Call Me by Your Name, Suspiria, Bones and All, Queer and After the Hunt.

Now he’s turning his attention toward one of the defining technological and political stories of the 21st century.

Film at Lincoln Center describes Artificial as Guadagnino’s “biggest swing yet”, emphasizing the film’s focus on the increasingly blurred boundaries between humans and machines, truth and lies.

Who Wrote Artificial?

The screenplay was written by Simon Rich.

Rich is known for his comedy writing, including work for Saturday Night Live and other film and television projects.

His involvement helps explain why Artificial isn’t being positioned purely as a serious corporate drama.

Film at Lincoln Center describes the movie as both thrilling and funny, suggesting that the story uses dark humor alongside its more serious questions about technology, power and humanity.

Artificial Is More Than a Sam Altman Movie

This is probably the most important thing to understand about Artificial.

The title isn’t simply referring to OpenAI or Sam Altman.

The film’s larger subject is the relationship between humans and the machines they are building.

Film at Lincoln Center says the movie explores the increasingly blurred lines between human and machine, truth and lie, while following the technological developments that brought the world to its current AI moment.

So while Altman’s 2023 firing and rehiring provides a major dramatic centerpiece, the movie is attempting to answer a much larger question:

How did we get here?

How did decades of theoretical research become a technological revolution?

How did an AI research organization become one of the most powerful companies in the world?

And what happens when the people building the technology disagree about what it should become?

What Happened When Sam Altman Was Fired?

The 2023 OpenAI crisis is one of the film’s major real-world storylines.

Altman was removed as CEO by OpenAI’s board in November 2023.

The announcement shocked the technology industry and quickly developed into a wider corporate crisis.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella became involved.

OpenAI employees threatened mass departures.

Leadership changed repeatedly.

And after several days of uncertainty, Altman returned as CEO.

For a movie, the situation is almost tailor-made for drama.

There were competing factions, secret negotiations, enormous financial stakes and a company controlling technology that could potentially reshape the global economy.

Artificial takes that extraordinary real-world episode and places it inside the much larger history of AI development.

Is Artificial a True Story?

Yes — but it is a dramatized version of real events.

The film is based on real people, real companies and real developments in artificial intelligence.

Andrew Garfield is portraying Sam Altman.

Yura Borisov is portraying Ilya Sutskever.

Monica Barbaro is portraying Mira Murati.

Mark Rylance is portraying Geoffrey Hinton.

Ike Barinholtz is portraying Elon Musk.

However, Artificial is a feature film rather than a documentary, so audiences should expect dramatization and interpretation rather than a literal recreation of every event.

The movie’s official festival description emphasizes that it traces two decades of machine-learning research and technological development rather than focusing exclusively on one event.

Why Artificial Is One of the Most Interesting Movies of 2026

The timing could hardly be more relevant.

AI has moved from a specialized technology topic into almost every part of everyday life.

Chatbots, generative video, AI search, autonomous systems and large language models have transformed the technology industry — while simultaneously creating arguments about jobs, copyright, misinformation, safety and the future of human creativity.

And Artificial is dramatizing the people who helped bring that world into existence.

That’s what makes the movie different from a conventional technology biopic.

The subject isn’t safely in the past.

The story is still happening.

Artificial and The Social Network Comparison

One obvious comparison is The Social Network.

Both films dramatize the rise of an enormously influential technology company through ambitious young founders, personal rivalries and battles over control.

And Artificial has already been described as something resembling a “Social Network” for the AI era.

But there is a crucial difference.

Facebook changed the way people communicate.

Artificial intelligence could potentially change the way people work, create, search, learn and make decisions.

That makes the stakes of Artificial considerably broader.

Artificial Runtime

Artificial has a reported runtime of 140 minutes, or approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Film at Lincoln Center officially lists the movie at 140 minutes for its New York Film Festival premiere.

That runtime gives Guadagnino plenty of space to tell the story across multiple decades rather than reducing it to the 2023 OpenAI crisis.

Artificial World Premiere at New York Film Festival

Before the movie reaches theaters, Artificial will make its world premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival.

The world premiere is scheduled for:

October 5, 2026 — Alice Tully Hall, New York City

Luca Guadagnino and members of the cast are scheduled to attend.

Film at Lincoln Center officially announced the film as part of the festival’s Main Slate and confirmed the October 5 world premiere.

This also makes Artificial one of the major prestige titles of the 2026 fall festival season.

Who Is Distributing Artificial?

NEON is distributing Artificial in the United States.

The film’s distribution history has itself been unusual.

Amazon MGM originally developed the project but later exited, after which the movie was shopped to other distributors. Variety reported in June that Netflix, A24 and Focus Features had passed while Mubi was pursuing the film and NEON was also potentially interested.

The film has now landed with NEON, which is also handling its release associated with the New York Film Festival. Film at Lincoln Center identifies Artificial as a NEON release.

Where to Watch Artificial

Can You Watch Artificial in Theaters?

Yes.

Artificial is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on December 25, 2026.

The film will first premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 5 before its wider theatrical rollout.

Will Artificial Be on Netflix?

There is currently no Netflix release announced.

Netflix was among the companies reported to have passed on acquiring the film earlier in 2026.

Will Artificial Be on Amazon Prime Video?

No Amazon streaming release has been announced.

Amazon MGM was originally attached to the film but subsequently dropped the project before its theatrical release.

Will Artificial Be on Mubi?

There is currently no confirmed Mubi streaming date.

Mubi was reported to have pursued the movie during its search for a new distributor, but the current U.S. distributor is NEON.

Artificial FAQ

When does Artificial come out?

Artificial is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2026.

When is the Artificial world premiere?

The world premiere takes place October 5, 2026, at the New York Film Festival.

Who plays Sam Altman in Artificial?

Andrew Garfield plays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Is Artificial about OpenAI?

Yes. The film centers on the people and events surrounding OpenAI and Sam Altman’s rise within the company, including the extraordinary 2023 leadership crisis.

Is Artificial based on a true story?

Yes. It is a dramatized film based on real people, companies and events connected to the development of modern artificial intelligence.

Who plays Ilya Sutskever?

Yura Borisov plays Ilya Sutskever.

Who plays Mira Murati?

Monica Barbaro plays Mira Murati.

Who plays Elon Musk?

Ike Barinholtz plays Elon Musk.

Who directed Artificial?

Luca Guadagnino directed the film.

Who wrote Artificial?

Simon Rich wrote the screenplay.

How long is Artificial?

The movie has a 140-minute runtime, or approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Where can I watch Artificial?

The movie will premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 5 before opening in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2026.

Is Artificial a documentary?

No. Artificial is a dramatic feature film based on real events and people.

Artificial could be one of the most unusually timed films of 2026.

It’s a movie about AI made while the AI revolution is still unfolding.

Andrew Garfield plays Sam Altman.

Yura Borisov plays Ilya Sutskever.

Monica Barbaro plays Mira Murati.

Mark Rylance plays Geoffrey Hinton.

Ike Barinholtz plays Elon Musk.

And Luca Guadagnino is directing the whole thing.

But the real hook goes beyond the celebrity casting.

Artificial is attempting to tell the story of how we arrived at the current AI moment — from early neural-network research to the creation of OpenAI and finally the extraordinary power struggle that erupted when Sam Altman was fired and then returned as CEO.

Film at Lincoln Center describes the movie as a story of machine-learning research, technocratic recklessness and the current AI crisis, while also exploring the increasingly blurred boundary between humans and machines.

And that’s why the title Artificial feels particularly fitting.

This isn’t really a movie about a machine.

It’s about the humans who built one — and what happened when they realized how powerful it could become.

Artificial opens in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2026.