Universal Picks Up Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs Biopic; Michael Fassbender to Star

It wasn't expected to take long for Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs biopic to find a new home after Sony dropped it, and that's exactly how things turned out. THR reports that Universal, who were said to be considering the film, have secured the rights to the feature, plunking down a hefty $30M for it.

The story also says that Michael Fassbender is now "attached" to the role of Jobs, the Apple founder and tech giant who passed away in 2011. Leonardo DiCaprio was the first who had been on board to play Jobs back when David Fincher was still eying the project, followed by Christian Bale who dropped out only weeks ago. There's no mention of Seth Rogen who was said to be up for the role of Steve Wozniak, while Jessica Chastain was also up for a part possibly as Apple's head of marketing, Joanna Hoffman.

Production had been set for next winter and while nothing has been confirmed, Universal will probably try to stick to the schedule.

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Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs Biopic Dropped by Sony

Sometimes all the talent in the world can't get a promising project off the ground. Despite having Danny Boyle on board to direct from an Aaron Sorkin script, Sony has decided to drop their Steve Jobs biopic, putting the film in turnaround meaning another studio can grab it.

A lot of big names have circled the film for some time. David Fincher had been on board for awhile, with Leonardo DiCaprio eyed for the Jobs role. Most recently it was Christian Bale, confirmed by Boyle himself, until he too dropped out only to have Michael Fassbender's name emerge only days ago. At this point nobody is confirmed to play the Apple founder in a story that will chronicle three major product launches. 

A start date had been tentatively planned for next winter but that is obviously off the table until a new studio is found. Universal is said to be interested, but who knows how that will shake out. 

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Aaron Sorkin to Adapt Poker Memoir 'Molly's Game'; Mark Boal to Rewrite 'Uncharted'

A couple of award-winning screenwriters have lined up new projects, both dealing with games of a different variety.

First up, Aaron Sorkin may be done writing for TV after The Newsroom wraps its third season, but he's staying busy on the big screen. He's set to adapt Molly's Game, based on the memoir by Molly Bloom who ran the most elite high-stakes poker game in Los Angeles. Over the eight years she was in control of the operation hundreds of millions of dollars were won and lost at her poker tables, and put her in touch with the city's biggest power players until the authorities came in and shut the whole thing down.  Next up for Sorkin is his Steve Jobs biopic directed by Danny Boyle.

And the forever-developing video game adaptation Uncharted will get a rewrite from Mark Boal, Oscar winning writer of The Hurt Locker. He's just the latest to take a crack at the script which was first penned by David O. Russell back when he was attached to direct, then rewritten by an army of others before now. Seth Gordon is directing the adventure film about treasure hunter Nate Drake, a descendant of explorer Sir Francis Drake. [Deadline/THR]

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Aaron Sorkin Confirms Christian Bale for Steve Jobs Biopic

So you didn't like the Ashton Kutcher-led Jobs from last year? The guy from Two and a Half Men didn't quite live up to playing Apple founder Steve Jobs? Personally, I thought he was actually pretty good at it, but there's still room for a much better performance in a much better movie. And it looks like we're going to get that with Aaron Sorkin confirming Christian Bale for Danny Boyle's biopic.

Just days go we learned Bale, who had been rumored for months, had entered talks for the uniquely-structured film. Now in an interview with Bloomberg Television, Sorkin certainly gives the impression that Bale has signed on, while also detailing why the actor was chosen.

Sorkin: “We needed the best actor on the board in a certain age range and that’s Chris Bale. He didn’t have to audition. Well, there was a meeting.”

The screenplay breaks the story down into three 30-minute segments, covering the Mac, NeXt, and IPod product launches. But don't let that fool you into thinking Bale won't be plenty busy...

Sorkin:  “He has more words to say in this movie than most people have in three movies combined. There isn’t a scene or a frame that he’s not in. So it’s an extremely difficult part and he is gonna crush it.”

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Danny Boyle Takes Over Steve Jobs Biopic; Leonardo DiCaprio May Star

This is what one would call a lateral move. Just last week David Fincher exited the developing Steve Jobs biopic that would have reunited him with The Social Network screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin. All of this was over a salary dispute that just couldn't get ironed out, but Sony has managed to strike a deal with Danny Boyle to take over, and he may be bringing along an old friend.

According to THR, Boyle has signed on to direct the untitled Jobs film, and he's keen on re-teaming with Leonardo DiCaprio for the first time since 2000's The Beach. He's apparently approached DiCaprio to play the Apple founder, but at this time there are no deals in place. Fincher had wanted Christian Bale for the lead role but that doesn't seem to be in consideration any longer. This would be a very different biopic than the Ashton Kutcher-led version released last year. Sorkin plans to feature three 30-minute segments that highlight different achievement's in Jobs' career: the launch of the Mac, NeXT, and of course the IPod.

There's a potential hang-up, though, as DiCaprio is set to star in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's The Revenant, the long-developing film that has been revived for a fall shoot.

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David Fincher to Direct Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs Biopic

Remember when The Social Network seemed like a really far-fetched idea? Because, really, who in the world would want to see a movie about Facebook? Well, turns out a lot of people did, and a lot of people loved it, mostly due to the rapid-fire script by Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher's cool direction, with no small nod to Jesse Eisenberg in the lead role. And now Sorkin and Fincher are going teaming up again for the story of another big brain who revolutionized technology as we know it.

Fincher has come aboard to helm the untitled Steve Jobs biopic that Sorkin will adapt based on Walter Isaacson's book. Unlike the Ashton Kutcher-led Jobs (which he was pretty damn good in, btw), this film won't be a traditional biopic, with Sorkin revealing some time ago that it will be broken up into three 30-minute "real time" segments capturing major Apple product launches. To help make this happen, Apple co-found Steve Wozniak is consulting on the project.

So how will Fincher fit all of this into his busy schedule? Well, it helps that there won't be any sequels to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. THR seems confident there will be no follow-ups as originally intended. Fincher has only just finished wrapping on Gone Girl, and will work with Gillian Flynn again on the HBO series, Utopia. His involvement in Netflix's House of Cards will remain as an exec-producer going into season three. 

Now the search begins to find someone who can embody Jobs' brilliance, charisma, and stand-offish demeanor. 

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Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs biopic to be three 30-minute scenes

You'd expect that the guy who made a "Facebook movie" one of the great cultural experiences of 2010 would also have a unique angle from which to tackle a film on Apple founder Steve Jobs. And you'd be right. Although the film doesn't have a director yet, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin has been chatting up the gutsy approach from which he'll tackle Jobs' life.

While talking to The Daily Beast during their Hero Conference, Sorkin revealed the film will be structured around three 30-minute segments done in real time, with each taking place prior to a major product launch.

Sorkin: "[T]his entire movie is going to be three scenes, and three scenes only. That all take place in real time… There will be no time cuts and each will take place before a product launch. Backstage before a product launch. The first one being the Mac, the second one being NeXT after he had left Apple and the third one being the iPod."

Sorkin also revealed hopes of ending the film with Jobs' "Think Different' ad campaign, as a final coda to the man's legendary vision. I think this is a great idea, and a novel avenue from which to explore Jobs' career, which is basically defined by those three product launches. Hopefully we'll start hearing some word on a production start and potential casting.

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