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The first trailer for Artificial, Luca Guadagnino’s highly anticipated drama about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the rise of artificial intelligence, has arrived, giving audiences their first substantial look at Andrew Garfield in the lead role.
Garfield portrays Altman in the film, which explores the events surrounding his dramatic removal from OpenAI in 2023 and his eventual return to the company. The story takes place during a pivotal period for the artificial intelligence industry, as ChatGPT and OpenAI rapidly transformed the global technology landscape.
The newly released trailer keeps much of the story under wraps but establishes an intense and ominous atmosphere. Garfield’s Altman appears increasingly aware of the enormous consequences surrounding the technology being developed, with the footage suggesting that the film will examine not only the ambitions behind AI but also the potential dangers that come with it.
The movie comes from Challengers and Queer director Luca Guadagnino, working from a screenplay by Simon Rich. The project has already attracted significant attention due to its subject matter and the real-world controversy surrounding its production and release.
Joining Garfield in the cast is Monica Barbaro, who plays Mira Murati, the former OpenAI chief technology officer who briefly served as interim CEO during Altman’s removal. Yura Borisov portrays OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, while Ike Barinholtz takes on the role of Elon Musk.
The ensemble also includes Mark Rylance, Billie Lourd, Jason Schwartzman, Cooper Koch and Cooper Hoffman.
Artificial has had an unusually complicated journey to the big screen. Amazon MGM Studios originally planned to distribute the movie before dropping the project, after which Neon stepped in to release the film. The change in distributor only added to the intrigue surrounding a movie dramatizing one of the most controversial episodes in the recent history of the technology industry.
The film also gives Garfield another connection to the world of Silicon Valley. He previously portrayed Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin in David Fincher’s acclaimed 2010 film The Social Network, making Artificial his latest exploration of the personalities behind some of the world’s most influential technology companies.
The film is scheduled to have its world premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival on October 5, 2026. Neon will then release Artificial in select cinemas on December 25, with a wider theatrical expansion planned for January 2027.
With Guadagnino behind the camera and Garfield taking on one of the most recognisable figures in modern technology, Artificial could offer a provocative cinematic look at the people, power struggles and ethical questions surrounding the rise of AI.
