Andrew Garfield’s ‘Artificial’ Earns Strongest Critical Reception Since ‘The Social Network’

2026 has already proven to be a busy year for former Spider-Man Andrew Garfield. Earlier in the year, he joined forces with Rebecca Ferguson, Claire Foy, and a starry British cast for a cozy adaptation of Enid Blyton‘s The Magic Faraway Tree. The film received a strong critical reception, earning “certified fresh” status on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, but sadly failed to make a noticeable impact at the box office.

Then came the recent surprise Robin Hood film, The Uprising, from Focus Features. Garfield featured alongside the likes of Jamie Bell, Cosmo Jarvis, Tom Hollander, and Thomasin McKenzie in the latest from director Paul Greengrass, starring as “the leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.” The Uprising faced a similar disappointing box office run to Garfield’s previous 2026 release, earning less than $7 million in domestic revenue before leaving theaters and heading to streaming. But for Garfield fans underwhelmed by his year, it seems things are taking a turn for the better that might even earn recognition from the Academy.

Garfield’s third and final 2026 film, a timely biopic about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, made its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 5, with a December 25 theatrical release scheduled. The film is directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Challengers) and also stars recent Oscar nominees Yura Borisov and Monica Barbaro, Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, and more. Following Artificial‘s debut, what are critics saying about the biopic? At the time of writing, Artificial has earned a near-perfect 92% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Garfield’s highest score for a film in 12 years.

What Critics Are Saying About ‘Artificial’

For a film about a topic so pressing and heavily discussed, only a smart, thoughtful examination featuring the most detailed of performances would find success. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that some critics are already calling for Oscar nominations for both Guadagnino and Garfield. “This ranks among Guadagnino’s best work,” wrote David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter, with Variety’s Owen Gleiberman calling it “a movie that’s at once inspiring and deeply chilling,” and TheWrap’s Zachary Lee poignantly dubbing it “the world’s obituary.”

Artificial hits theaters on December 25. Make sure to stay tuned for more coverage.

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