Nicolas Cage Didn't Sign Amazon's AI Waiver For 'Spider-Noir'. Series Cancelled. (variety.com)
- Reference: 0186096366
- News link: https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/26/10/10/2221212/nicolas-cage-didnt-sign-amazons-ai-waiver-for-spider-noir-series-cancelled
- Source link: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/nicolas-cage-ai-waiver-amazon-spider-noir-1236907564/
> "Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, to the tune of $50 billion invested in OpenAI," Cage said Saturday during a panel on the Empire Stage at New York Comic Con. "I am not an AI-friendly actor, so it's like, connect those dots! I'm not a member of their club. I didn't sign the waiver to let him use AI on 'Spider-Noir.' I'm probably not going to be working with that studio again, but that's okay."
Last month Amazon [2]canceled Spider-Man Noir after just one season, [3] Variety reports . And the cancellation was just days before the Emmy Awards, where it then earned 11 nominations (the most of any Prime Video program this year).
[4] ScreenRant reports :
> Spider-Noir was the actor's first TV role and was praised globally, with season 1 earning a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating from critics of 92% and a 90% rating from audiences. Critics stated that "This sharply written homage to classic film noir — which includes a standout Nicolas Cage performance — is the novel superhero project fans need," and " Spider-Noir is one of the standout shows of the year...." The cancellation was certainly a huge shock as it had earned 11 Emmy nominations and reached 2.6 billion minutes viewed within its first six weeks on Prime Video.
[5]More from Variety :
> Cage went on to tell the Comic-Con audience that he hopes to work with the rising class of Gen-Z filmmakers, praising Backrooms director Kane Parsons, who parlayed his YouTube fame into a Hollywood career... "I got to get with these young directors who are Gen Z, and they're going at it their own way, whether it's through the YouTube culture or whatever it is," Cage said. "They're doing it from scratch and by hand. I want to get with that."
[1] https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/nicolas-cage-ai-waiver-amazon-spider-noir-1236907564/
[2] https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/spider-noir-canceled-amazon-prime-video-1236852049/
[3] https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/nicolas-cage-ai-waiver-amazon-spider-noir-1236907564/
[4] https://screenrant.com/nicolas-cage-amazon-ai-contract-spider-noir-cancellation-response/
[5] https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/nicolas-cage-ai-waiver-amazon-spider-noir-1236907564/
Poor guy (Score:4, Funny)
I hope this principled stand doesn't derail his nascent acting career...
Re: (Score:2)
Not signing away all his rights too early is what got Lucas a billion dollars, though. I look forward to reading about Industrial Cage And Magic in 50 years, when Nicolas finally retires ;-)
Former movie star (Score:2)
Another former star actor with 20+ years since their last big movie, who is 'retired' complaining about something to promote their own name.
These planted 'news stories' are too predictable. A few news article tropes:
1. Older actor complains about conservatives, corporations, etc.
2. An aged out of the young beauty actress aged about 30 complaining about biased men, discriminatory casting, etc. etc. etc. attention seeking because complaining about men is praised, but complaining that you are competing with a
Isn't an AI based film really an animated film? (Score:3, Insightful)
Isn't an AI based film really an animated film? CGI has replaced hand painted animation a long time ago. Special effects have gone CGI too to a large degree. We even have hybrid films where main characters are animated, Roger Rabbit, Space Jam, etc. So it seems we are talking more about AI automating the sort of animation we have already been doing?
FWIW I have some faint recollection of Nicolas Cage appearing, in his own likeness, in an animated film (something Phillip K Dick related?). It would be interesting to know what he and other professional actors think the distinction is between animation with/without AI? Other than the likeness being paid for and limited to the film of course.
Note I am not referring to AI replacing writers or directors. Just becoming more involved in animation, while is already a part of live action film.
Re: (Score:2)
If that'll all they intended they could have agreed on a very narrowly-tailored agreement limiting the use to the same aspects of the film as manual animation.
Maybe Cage is doing some solidarity thing with animators or maybe Amazon intended to do much more and were attempting an underhanded trick.
It's hard to tell except you'd expect Cage to say something if animators' jobs were his cause.
It sounds like his agent or manager knew what was up.
wrong (Score:2)
it was canceled due to high cost as it cost 400 million to make it. wile it was a hit it didn't get the views to make another. it had nothing to do with ai. that was for another project they where going a cheaper animated rought he refused to let ai use his likeness.
Re: (Score:2)
Moreover, Amazon are currently cash flow constrained for random projects. They have just spent $200 billion on AI so they can't splash money around *quite* as they used to in the past.
I'm a fan of Bond films (Score:2)
This is NOT making me feel good about the next film...
Re: (Score:3)
"So Goldfinger, I suppose you expect me to talk"
"Good catch! You're absolutely right. You're right to push back, I am not expecting you to talk . There are several reasons I can't expect you to talk:
1. You're well known as a spy who is uncorruptable and has been threatened by far worse than a laser table.
2. You would likely spend the time trying to escape , rather than answering my question.
3. I would not be able to trust any answer you give anyway, because you would be seconds away from death while it would
Tech Bros and finance Bros really ruin everything (Score:2)
It doesn't matter what your hobby is they fuck it up. These are the same fuckers we have to thank for video game prices shooting through the roof thanks to ram.
Re: (Score:1)
Thats literally who "Epstein class" is refering to. The billionares and tech bros. Many of whom are in the files (Though Musks entry is very amusing, with him pleading to be allowed to visit because of GIRLS and being basically told 'lol no')
Re: (Score:1)
> video game prices shooting through the roof thanks to ram.
Uhh? Are you referring to computers and consoles?