Nicolas Cage’s Viral Puppet Movie Gets Pulled from Sundance Over A.I. Legal Battle—What’s Real vs. Fake?
A bizarre new rumor has erupted online claiming that Nicolas Cage’s latest experimental film—a surreal puppet-led drama—was yanked from the Sundance Film Festival due to a legal dispute over the use of A.I.-generated voice clones. The story, which has amassed over 2 million views on X, alleges the film was made entirely without a script, using real-time A.I. to animate puppets and mimic Cage’s iconic voice. But is this true or just digital gossip?
Fact-check: Partially false. While it’s true that Cage has a rumored puppet film in development (unconfirmed by reps), Sundance officials have not pulled any Cage title from their 2025 lineup. The “A.I. legal battle” appears to be a fabrication from a satirical news site that was reshared as fact. No credible legal filings or festival statements support the claim. However, Cage himself has openly criticized A.I. in Hollywood, saying in a recent interview, “We can’t let machines replace the soul of performance.” This quote was real—but the viral rumor is fake.