Nicolas Cage refuses AI waiver for Spider-Noir, puts Amazon relationship on edge
Nicolas Cage says he didn’t sign an AI waiver for Spider-Noir and likely won’t work with Amazon again. The series was later canceled.
Cage added that he would “probably not” work with Amazon again. The wording was cautious, but the message was clear enough to put the actor’s relationship with the company under strain.
Spider-Noir was canceled last month. That ended Cage’s involvement with the project, although it has not been confirmed that the cancellation was directly tied to the AI dispute.
What happened
IGN reported that Cage explained during a panel at New York Comic Con that he refused to sign a waiver that would have allowed AI use on Spider-Noir. In the coverage, he is quoted as saying that Amazon is an AI-friendly company and that he is not. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter also described the comment as a response to an AI waiver Amazon had requested for the Prime Video production.
According to IGN, the actor also said that after that refusal, he would probably not work with Amazon again. That was not framed as an absolute break, but as “probably not,” leaving some room for nuance. In the available reporting, the remark is tied to a panel on the Empire Stage at New York Comic Con, where Cage brought up the topic himself.
Spider-Noir was canceled last month, ending production with Cage. The Hollywood Reporter previously said the series was scrapped after one season. The available information does not say why Prime Video canceled the show, and the exact contents of the alleged AI waiver have not been made public. As a result, it remains unclear whether the cancellation, the AI discussion, and Cage’s comments are directly connected.
Timeline
2024: IGN references Cage’s earlier criticism of AI in an interview with The New Yorker.
Early 2025: Cage reportedly spoke publicly about AI again at the Saturn Awards.
2026-10-10: IGN reports that Cage refused an AI waiver for Spider-Noir and likely does not want to work with Amazon again.
Last month: Spider-Noir was canceled by Prime Video, according to reporting from outlets including The Hollywood Reporter.
After the cancellation: Cage’s involvement with the Marvel series ended, but there is no confirmation that the shutdown was caused by the AI dispute.
Background
IGN portrays Cage as an actor who has been critical of AI in his field for some time. The new comment fits earlier public remarks the outlet links to 2024 and early 2025, making the Spider-Noir response less like a one-off and more like a continuation of a longer public stance.
The same reporting describes Amazon as a company heavily invested in AI. The source also mentions a $50 billion investment in OpenAI, but the available information does not make clear whether that refers to a specific deal or broader company spending. That financial context is included as background, not as direct proof of the Spider-Noir waiver itself.
The combination of a possible AI waiver, a public refusal, and the later cancellation of the series has drawn attention, but the facts currently confirmed are limited. What is confirmed is that Cage did not sign the waiver, that he called Amazon “AI-friendly,” and that he said he would probably not work with the company again. It is also confirmed that Spider-Noir was later canceled. What is not confirmed is whether Amazon formally required the waiver, what the exact contract terms were, or whether the cancellation had anything to do with this issue.
The reporting also places Cage alongside earlier examples of public resistance to AI in entertainment. In this context, the issue is not a technical debate about production workflows, but a concrete actor who, according to the sources, refused a contractual step. That makes the story especially relevant as an example of how AI agreements in film and TV are becoming more visible.
Sources
- IGN: Nicolas Cage says he probably won’t work with Amazon again after refusing AI waiver for Spider-Noir.