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Nicolas Cage Says He 'Probably' Won't Work With Amazon Again After Refusing AI Waiver for 'Spider-Noir'

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In brief

Actor Nicolas Cage said at New York Comic Con on October 10, 2026, that he refused to sign an artificial-intelligence waiver Amazon requested for his canceled series "Spider-Noir," and that he will "probably" not work with the studio again. Amazon canceled the show after one season despite 11 Emmy nominations and 2.6 billion minutes streamed in its first six weeks.

Nicolas Cage told a crowd at New York Comic Con's "Spotlight" panel on Saturday, October 10, 2026, that he declined to sign an artificial-intelligence waiver Amazon had sought for his Prime Video series "Spider-Noir." According to the actor, the refusal means he is unlikely to work with the studio again.

Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, to the tune of $50 billion invested in OpenAI. I am not an AI-friendly actor.

— Nicolas Cage, New York Comic Con, October 10, 2026

Cage said he did not sign the waiver that would have let Amazon use AI on "Spider-Noir," adding that he would probably not work with the studio again but that he was at peace with the outcome. He did not detail the exact clauses of the waiver, and a Prime Video representative did not respond to a request for comment, according to TheWrap.

What happened to 'Spider-Noir'

"Spider-Noir" was a Prime Video series in which Cage starred. Amazon canceled it after a single season, days before that year's Emmy Awards, where the show went on to receive 11 nominations — the most of any Prime Video program that year. The series had logged 2.6 billion minutes viewed in its first six weeks and held a 92% critics' score and 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Slashdot's report citing the figures.

Cage said he felt one season had been enough to accomplish what he wanted with the character, according to TheWrap, suggesting he was not seeking a renewal independent of the AI dispute.

The AI waiver and industry context

Cage's comments come after SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union, ratified a new four-year contract with major studios and streamers on June 5, 2026, approved by more than 90% of voting members, according to NBC News. The contract requires that any AI-generated performance add substantially more value than a live actor's performance, or that actor's digital capture, before producers can use it. SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said the agreement strengthens protections around artificial intelligence and digital identity, according to NBC News.

The union contract sets baseline protections, but individual waivers tied to specific productions — such as the one Amazon reportedly presented to Cage for "Spider-Noir" — can still be requested project by project. Cage's public refusal highlights that performers retain the right to decline such waivers.

What Cage is doing next

At the same Comic Con panel, Cage told the audience he was considering doing another season of television and that he might take on a role in the fifth season of HBO's anthology crime series "True Detective." An HBO representative declined to comment on the casting, according to Yahoo Entertainment and TheWrap.

What is not yet known

Questions

Why did Nicolas Cage say he won't work with Amazon again?
Cage said he refused to sign an AI waiver Amazon requested for his series 'Spider-Noir,' calling himself 'not an AI-friendly actor,' and said that as a result he will 'probably' not work with the studio again.
What was 'Spider-Noir' and why was it canceled?
It was a Prime Video series starring Cage that Amazon canceled after one season, shortly before the 2026 Emmy Awards, despite earning 11 Emmy nominations and logging 2.6 billion minutes viewed in its first six weeks. Amazon has not publicly linked the cancellation to the AI waiver dispute.
What does the AI waiver have to do with SAG-AFTRA's contract?
SAG-AFTRA's 2026 contract, ratified by over 90% of voting members, sets union-wide rules requiring AI-generated performances to add substantially more value than a live actor's performance, but studios can still ask performers to sign project-specific waivers, which Cage says he declined for 'Spider-Noir.'
Is Nicolas Cage joining 'True Detective' Season 5?
At the same Comic Con appearance, Cage told the audience he was considering another season of television and mentioned 'True Detective' as a possibility, though HBO declined to comment on casting at the time.

Sources

  1. Yahoo Entertainment — Nicolas Cage Says He 'Probably' Won't Work With Amazon Again After Refusing to Sign an AI Waiver for 'Spider-Noir'
  2. Slashdot — Nicolas Cage Didn't Sign Amazon's AI Waiver For 'Spider-Noir'. Series Cancelled.
  3. TheWrap — Nicolas Cage Won't Work With Amazon Again After Refusing to Sign AI Waiver
  4. NBC News — Actors' union approves 4-year contract with studios and streamers

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