Nicolas Cage is drawing a line over the use of artificial intelligence in Hollywood, saying he probably won’t work with Amazon again after refusing to sign an AI waiver for Spider-Noir. The actor’s comments highlight a growing tension between entertainment companies investing heavily in AI and performers concerned about how the technology could be used with their work.

Speaking during a panel at New York Comic Con on October 10, Cage criticized Amazon’s enthusiasm for AI and made it clear that he wasn’t comfortable giving the company permission to use the technology in connection with his performance in the Prime Video series.

“Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, to the tune of $50 billion invested in OpenAI,” Cage said. “I am not an AI-friendly actor, so it’s like, connect those dots!“

He added that he had refused to sign the waiver that would allow AI to be used on Spider-Noir, before delivering his blunt assessment of the situation: “I’m probably not going to be working with that studio again, but that’s okay.“

Cage’s remarks don’t amount to a blanket rejection of technology in filmmaking. Instead, they underscore his opposition to granting AI-related permissions for his own performance, an issue that has become increasingly contentious as studios explore new ways to use generative AI in production.

Why Cage’s AI concerns matter

The debate over AI in Hollywood goes beyond whether filmmakers should use new tools to create visual effects or streamline production. Actors and writers have raised concerns about digital replicas, the use of their likenesses and performances, and whether they will have meaningful control over how their work is reused.

Those concerns were central to Hollywood’s recent labor disputes, which resulted in contractual protections addressing AI for performers and writers. Cage’s comments show that the issue remains relevant even as studios continue to pursue AI-related investments and applications.

Amazon’s reported $50 billion investment in OpenAI was part of Cage’s argument at the convention. However, his comments should be understood as his stated position on the company’s AI strategy, rather than evidence that Amazon necessarily intended to use AI to replicate his performance without permission.

Amazon had not immediately responded to requests for comment about Cage’s remarks, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times and TheWrap.

The dispute comes after Spider-Noir

Cage starred in Spider-Noir as Ben Reilly, a private investigator operating in 1930s New York who also happens to be the city’s superhero. The live-action series brought Marvel’s Spider-Man Noir concept to television, with Cage playing a darker, older take on the familiar Spider-Man mythology.

The role was particularly notable because Spider-Noir marked Cage’s first leading role in a television series. The show was produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios for Prime Video.

Amazon canceled the series after one season in September 2026, despite its strong reception and 11 Emmy nominations. According to Nielsen figures cited by Variety, the show accumulated 2.6 billion minutes viewed during its first six weeks on streaming.

Cage’s criticism of Amazon’s AI policies is separate from the show’s cancellation. He didn’t say that the cancellation was the reason he might avoid working with the studio again; he specifically pointed to the AI waiver and his disagreement with the company’s approach to the technology.

That distinction matters. The controversy isn’t simply about an actor walking away from a canceled series. It’s about the permissions performers may be asked to grant and how those permissions could affect their work in an industry where AI-generated content is becoming an increasingly important issue.

Cage wants to work with a new generation of filmmakers

Despite his criticism of Amazon, Cage isn’t stepping away from ambitious projects. At the same New York Comic Con appearance, he spoke positively about working with younger filmmakers, particularly directors who developed their skills through online video platforms and independent projects.

He singled out Kane Parsons, the filmmaker behind Backrooms, as an example of the emerging creative talent he wants to collaborate with. Cage praised the way younger directors are building projects from the ground up and developing their own approaches to filmmaking.

Cage also hinted that he could appear in the fifth season of HBO’s True Detective. He joked about revealing the news before his agent could stop him, although HBO had not confirmed his involvement at the time of the report.

For now, Cage’s comments offer a clear indication of where he stands on AI permissions in acting. Studios may see artificial intelligence as a useful tool for the future of entertainment, but performers still have their own boundaries around how their work can be used. Cage appears willing to accept the professional consequences of holding his ground.

Whether other actors take a similar position remains to be seen. But as Hollywood works out the boundaries between human performance and AI-assisted production, the question of who gets to authorize the use of an actor’s work is unlikely to disappear.