Nicolas Cage has drawn a firm boundary around artificial intelligence in film production. Speaking at New York Comic Con, the actor said he did not approve AI use for Spider-Noir and does not expect to work with Amazon again.
Cage says he did not sign an AI waiver
Amazon has invested $50 billion in OpenAI, making it a company Cage described as highly supportive of AI. Cage, however, said he is not an AI-friendly actor and refused to sign a waiver allowing the technology to be used on Spider-Noir.
“I’m probably not going to be working with that studio again,” Cage said during a Cage said during a panel. He added that he was comfortable with his decision.
Spider-Noir was cancelled despite positive reviews
The timing is notable because Amazon cancelled Spider-Noir last month, despite the series receiving positive reviews. The live-action project cast Cage as a private-detective version of web-slinger Ben Reilly.
It has not been confirmed whether Cage’s refusal to permit AI played any part in the cancellation. The completed project reportedly has a pronounced sound-stage appearance that suits its noir detective atmosphere.
Cage will nevertheless continue voicing Ben Reilly in Sony’s animated Spider-Verse films. That series was where he first played the character.
A preference for younger filmmakers
Cage said the industry’s push towards AI has made him more interested in working with younger directors. He pointed to filmmakers raised on YouTube and do-it-yourself production methods, suggesting they are often less accepting of generative technology than some older industry figures.
One filmmaker Cage specifically mentioned was Kane Parsons, director of Backrooms. Parsons has also been an outspoken critic of AI, and Cage expressed interest in collaborating with him.
Cage’s comments have placed creative control and consent at the centre of discussion around AI-assisted entertainment.
Fans also revive an arcade-adjacent rumour
Online fans praised Cage for rejecting AI-generated entertainment. Some also used the discussion to revive claims that the actor is a major fan of Nintendo 64-era Bomberman games.
Those claims are now accompanied by photographic evidence, including posts that resurface rumours and another described as now backed with photo evidence. A social post documenting the discussion is also available from Maxwell Yezpitelok (@mrmxy.bsky.social).
Whether Cage is actually a dedicated Bomberman player remains a lighter footnote to the story, but the combination of an anti-AI stance and apparent interest in Nintendo 64 arcade-style action has certainly appealed to fans.
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