Amazon has dropped Luca Guadagnino's film about OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT. The project is now being shopped to other major studios.
Guadagnino, the acclaimed Italian director behind "Call Me By Your Name" and "Suspiria," had been developing the OpenAI story for Amazon Studios. Details about the film's narrative remain sparse, but the project represented a high-profile effort to dramatize the rapid rise and internal turbulence of one of tech's most consequential companies.
The decision to abandon the film suggests Amazon lost confidence in the project's commercial or creative potential. Amazon Studios has become increasingly selective about prestige acquisitions after years of spending heavily on theatrical releases with mixed box office returns. This move aligns with broader industry retrenchment as studios reassess their slate strategies.
Guadagnino's involvement made the project noteworthy. The director has cultivated a reputation for intimate character studies and visually sophisticated filmmaking, with recent work including "Bones and All" and "Challengers." His sensibility seemed an unusual fit for a corporate tech drama, which may have contributed to internal doubts about the film's direction or audience appeal.
The OpenAI narrative offers rich dramatic terrain. The company's founding, Sam Altman's leadership, the recent board turmoil, and questions about AI safety and corporate governance all provide compelling material. However, Hollywood has struggled to make technology stories that satisfy both critics and audiences. The challenge of depicting contemporary corporate power struggles without losing narrative momentum remains steep.
With Amazon out, the film now enters a precarious limbo. Other studios may see potential in Guadagnino's vision and OpenAI's story, or they may view the project as too risky for their current priorities. The project's fate depends on whether another major player believes in both the director's approach and the subject matter's commercial viability.