Actor Nicolas Cage said at New York Comic Con 2026 that he drew a firm boundary around artificial intelligence in Hollywood by declining an Amazon waiver tied to Spider-Noir.
He added that the decision could mean he does not work with Amazon again.
Here's what to know
Cage's criticism tied a dispute over one TV project to Amazon's overall AI stance. Speaking during a panel, Cage said Amazon is "a very AI friendly company to the tune of 50 billion dollars invested to OpenAI," the artificial intelligence company, Kotaku reported.
"I am not an AI friendly actor," Cage said. "I didn't sign the waiver to let them use AI on Spider-Noir. I'm probably not going to be working with that studio again. But that's OK."
Public criticism of a major studio partner like this is unusual for Cage, whose career has long moved between blockbusters and art-house films.
By the time he spoke, Amazon had already ended Spider-Noir despite positive reviews. That was the project in which Cage played a noir-style version of web-slinger Ben Reilly.
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More background
Cage isn't leaving the character behind. He is still set to appear in Sony's animated Spider-Verse films, where he first took on the role.
He objects to Amazon's production approach, not the character itself.
He also said at the panel that Hollywood's embrace of AI has made younger directors more attractive collaborators. In his view, filmmakers shaped by YouTube-era DIY methods may be less willing than some older peers to lean on generative tools.
As an example, he pointed to Backrooms director Kane Parsons, a vocal AI critic, as someone he hopes to work with.
Where can I learn more?
These stories reflect similar tension to Cage's clash with Amazon over AI.
• Morgan Freeman said AI-generated voices copying him amount to theft of his identity.
• Guillermo del Toro said the future of AI films is no substitute for art.
• At Amazon, workers signed a damning letter over the company's AI direction.
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