Nicolas Cage makes this clear; he is not an “AI-friendly player”.
The 62-year-old actor spoke out against a tech giant at New York Comic Con on Saturday. He claimed he was asked to sign an AI waiver for the “Spider Noir” series.
“Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, with a $50 billion investment in OpenAI,” Cage said on stage.
“I’m not an AI-friendly actor, so connect these dots! I’m not a member of their club. I didn’t sign the waiver allowing them to use AI on ‘Spider-Noir.’ I’ll probably never work with that studio again, but that’s okay.”
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The use of artificial intelligence remains a major sticking point across Hollywood. Industry unions, including SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America, recently protected the technology with new contracts. But it’s still unclear exactly how the industry will be affected as AI advances and AI actors like Tilly Norwood continue to make headlines.
“Spider-Noir,” which premiered in May, is a “Spider-Man” project that brings a 1930s crime-thriller flavor to the web-slinging superhero. The show was produced by both Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios.
Cage’s role as “Spider” was his first leading role in a series. The Oscar-winning actor, whose Malibu home was recently affected by a sinkhole, is best known for his roles in films such as “National Treasure,” “Moonstruck” and “The Rock.”
Upon its release, “Spider-Noir” received high praise from fans and critics alike. According to Nielsen, the series was watched for 2.6 billion minutes in its first six weeks of airing. It was also Amazon’s most nominated show at this year’s Emmys, with 11 nominations and five wins.
Last month, Amazon announced that the series had been canceled after just one season, leaving much of the industry in shock.
During the Comic Con panel, Cage also said he plans to continue working in television. He announced that he will join the HBO series “True Detective.”
“My agent is out there listening,” Cage said. “It’s okay if I’m the first to announce it, right?”