During a New York Comic Con panel on Saturday, October 11, 2026, 62-year-old actor Nicolas Cage announced that he will likely not work with Amazon again following a dispute over an artificial intelligence waiver requested for the television series “Spider Noir,” according to reports by the Los Angeles Times and Yahoo Entertainment.
The Bottom Line
- Nicolas Cage stated at New York Comic Con that he refused to sign an AI waiver for the Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television series “Spider Noir.”
- The Oscar-winning actor pointed to Amazon’s substantial financial investments in OpenAI, asserting he is “not an AI-friendly actor” and does not expect to collaborate with the studio again.
- Despite “Spider Noir” earning 2.6 billion minutes watched in its first six weeks and five Emmy wins from 11 nominations, Amazon canceled the show after one season last month.
The AI Waiver Dispute Behind “Spider Noir”
The conflict centers on contractual terms presented to the cast during the production of “Spider Noir,” a project that recast the Spider-Man mythology as a 1930s crime thriller. Speaking on stage at New York Comic Con, Cage alleged that he was asked to sign an artificial intelligence waiver to permit the use of the technology on the series. Cage rejected the document, framing his refusal as a direct clash with corporate tech alignments.
“Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, to the tune of $50 billion invested in OpenAI,” Cage told the audience, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. “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 OK.” Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the actor’s statements.
Streaming Success Followed by Cancellation
The dispute arrives against the backdrop of an abrupt end for “Spider Noir.” The series marked Cage’s first leading role in a television project, positioning him as “The Spider” alongside a cast and crew operating under dual production from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios. Released in May, the show garnered significant critical praise and commercial engagement, pulling in 2.6 billion minutes watched across its first six weeks on streaming according to Nielsen metrics cited by the Los Angeles Times and Yahoo Entertainment.
Furthermore, the project stood as Amazon’s most-nominated program at the Emmy Awards, securing 11 nominations and five wins. Yet, despite the critical acclaim and audience draw, Amazon announced the cancellation of the series after a single season just last month.
Shifting Alliances Toward HBO’s “True Detective”
While his tenure with Amazon appears to have concluded over the generative technology disagreement, Cage indicated that his television career will continue elsewhere. During the same convention appearance, the actor revealed that he is joining the cast of the HBO anthology series “True Detective.”
“My agent’s out there somewhere listening,” Cage remarked to the panel crowd. “That’s OK that I’m the first to announce that, right?” The unscripted disclosure points to an immediate transition for the actor into prestige cable drama, sidestepping the streaming ecosystems heavily invested in artificial intelligence development.
Industry-Wide Studio Stances and Union Protections
Cage’s public stand highlights ongoing friction across Hollywood regarding the integration of generative AI in film and television production. While major industry labor organizations, including SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America, successfully negotiated specific contractual guardrails against uncompensated or unauthorized digital replicas in recent collective bargaining agreements, individual studio policies continue to vary.
As digital likenesses and synthetic performers such as Tilly Norwood capture headlines across the trade press, individual talent pushback—exemplified by Cage’s refusal at Amazon—demonstrates that technological clauses remain a core battleground in modern talent negotiations.
| Project | Network / Studio | Metrics & Accolades | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider Noir | Amazon MGM Studios / Sony Pictures Television | 2.6 billion minutes watched (first 6 weeks); 5 Emmy wins from 11 nominations | Canceled after one season following AI waiver dispute |
| True Detective | HBO | Prestige anthology television series | Nicolas Cage announced as upcoming cast member |
Worth a look
- Richard E Grant Calls Celebrity Traitors Exit ‘Catastrophically Idiotic
- Deswita Maharani defends Syifa Hadju against online skin procedure criticism
- Cage vs. Amazon: What an Actor's AI Waiver Actually Hands a Studio (daybreakwire.com)
- Nicolas Cage discusses True Detective Season 5 and Spider-Noir AI waiver (world-today-news.com)
