Nicolas Cage said he refused to sign an AI waiver that Amazon wanted for his canceled series Spider-Noir, and told a New York Comic Con crowd he probably will not work with the studio again. Cage made the comments Saturday, Oct. 10, during an appearance on the Empire Stage, according to Variety.
“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,” Cage said.
Cage’s Objection To The Spider-Noir AI Waiver
Cage drew a direct line between Amazon’s financial backing of artificial intelligence and his own refusal to cooperate with the request. He pointed to the company’s reported $50 billion investment in OpenAI as evidence the two sides were never going to see eye to eye on the issue.
“Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, to the tune of $50 billion invested in OpenAI. I am not an AI-friendly actor, so it’s like, connect those dots!” Cage said.
He summed up his position bluntly, telling the Comic Con audience, “I am not an AI-friendly actor.” The actor did not detail what the waiver would have permitted Amazon to do, and Amazon has not issued a public response to his remarks.
What It Means For Cage And Amazon
Cage’s comments mark a rare public break between a leading actor and a major studio over generative AI in production. His remark that he is “probably not” working with Amazon again signals a personal rift following the show’s cancellation, though he framed the fallout as something he has made peace with rather than an active dispute.
The Spider-Noir AI waiver dispute also puts a spotlight on how streamers are handling AI clauses in actor contracts as the technology becomes more embedded in studio operations. Amazon’s investment in OpenAI, cited by Cage, underscores how central AI has become to the company’s broader business even as it creates friction with talent on individual productions.
Background On Spider-Noir’s Cancellation
Spider-Noir marked Cage’s first leading role in a television series and was developed by Amazon for Prime Video. The show drew 2.6 billion minutes viewed in its first six weeks and picked up 11 Emmy nominations, the most of any Prime Video program that year, according to Variety.
Despite that reception, Amazon canceled Spider-Noir after a single season last month, just days before Emmy Awards weekend. The timing of the cancellation, so close to the show’s Emmy recognition, has drawn attention on its own, and Cage’s comments at Comic Con add a new dimension to why the series ended after one run.
What’s Next
Amazon has not publicly addressed Cage’s account of the waiver dispute or his comments about future collaborations. No further details have emerged about whether the AI waiver was a standard contract requirement across Amazon productions or specific to Spider-Noir. Readers interested in where other franchise properties are headed can look at upcoming Marvel film plans for context on the broader superhero content landscape Spider-Noir was part of.
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