The Steve Jobs biopic, Jobs, has had quite a wild ride over the last month. In the latest turn of events, the film was picked up by Universal with Michael Fassbender now officially cast in the role of the legendary tech icon Steve Jobs.
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore
Last month, Sony Pictures was eyeing Seth Rogen to play Jobs’ right-hand man Steve Wozniak. It was only days later that Christian Bale, then set to play Jobs, walked away from the role of the Apple founder after much deliberation and conflicting feelings that he wasn’t right for the part. Sony dropped the project soon after Bale exited the film and it was quickly snatched up by its current owner Universal, who have now confirmed Fassbender in the leading role.
Jobs is to be scripted by Aaron Sorkin, based upon Walter Isaacson’s biography Steve Jobs. It’s said to be structured in three long passages, all taking place backstage at various significant Apple product launch events. Danny Boyle will direct the film, which The Hollywood Reporter says was shopped around with a price tag of more than $30 million. Scott Rudin, Mark Gordon and Guymon Casady are set to produce.
Jobs’ past casting choices included Leonardo DiCaprio, who first turned down the role (prior to Bale signing on) to join Alejandro González Iñárritu’s (Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) upcoming film The Revenant.
No telling how Fassbender will fit this project into his busy schedule. Currently filming The Light Between Oceans with Rachel Weisz, he has four projects (including the Untitled Terrence Malick Project) now in post-production and another four (including Prometheus 2) in pre-production.
UPDATE: Deadline is also reporting that Natalie Portman (Black Swan) is in talks to join the film, in what the site is describing as a “major role”.
William Fanelli is a contributor to Flickering Myth – You can follow him on Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F&v=IpwsJTteaEY&feature=player_embedded
Originally published November 26, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
