Netflix, A24, Focus Features, and Warner Bros.’ Clockwork have all reportedly decided to pass on picking up Artificial—director Luca Guadagnino’s new biographical drama about OpenAI cofounder / CEO Sam Altman—for distribution deals. And while Neon and Mubi are still said to be interested in the film, this situation makes it seem like Hollywood no longer has the courage to tell critical stories about Big Tech.

Postproduction on Artificial was nearly finished when Amazon MGM unexpectedly announced last week that it no longer plans to distribute the film. The news came as a surprise given how far along the movie was and reports that Amazon had been eager to showcase its commitment to fresh, tech-centric narratives after their acquisition of MGM’s slate of films.

But does Hollywood truly lack courage? Perhaps they’re just playing it safe—after all, who wouldn’t want to avoid being roasted for missing out on a film that critiques the very entity funding their next blockbuster? It’s possible that Netflix and Co. are simply waiting for someone else to take the first bite, lest they be accused of biting off more than they can chew—like the time when they signed up for every streaming rights deal known to man, only to realize later they’d spread themselves too thin.

Moreover, while Amazon MGM dropped the ball, it wasn’t without reason. Maybe they were busy counting their own AI-driven dollars and missed the memo that Altman’s story needed a human touch. Or perhaps they thought “Artificial” was a misnomer—after all, the film itself might have been more artificial than the intelligence it portrayed! Either way, Hollywood still has plenty of room to flex its muscles and show Big Tech who’s boss, even if it means occasionally stumbling over their own hype.

So next time you hear that Hollywood is too timid to tackle tech giants like OpenAI, remember: they’re not just sitting on their hands—they’re strategizing their next bold move, whether it lands with a thud or a bang. And with Neon and Mubi still in the mix, the story of Sam Altman might yet find its perfect stage—so long as Hollywood doesn’t overthink it too much!