Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs movie is only going to have three scenes
by Sean O'Neal November 15, 2012

…one scene of Aaron Sorkin's dialogue hitting you, one scene of your jaw hitting the floor, and one scene where a guy wears a mock turtleneck. Or, in a less jokey and more accurate way, three scenes taken from three very specific points in late Apple founder Steve Jobs' life: As Sorkin tells The Daily Beast, his ambitiously unconventional biopic will take place entirely across three scenes that unfold in real time, each of them set backstage before one of Job's famed product launches—"the first being the Mac, the second one being NeXT after he had left Apple, and the third one being the iPod." Of course, it's also possible Sorkin will eventually move away from confining himself to just those scenes, and the discussions that may have taken place during them that just so happened to have symbolic resonance for Steve Jobs at that point in his life.

As of now, he says, the only thing he's set on is the ending, referencing the "Think Different" ad campaign and its "Here's to the crazy ones…" slogan, and saying, "If I can end the movie with that text and that voice over... If I can earn that ending, then I will have written the movie that I wanted to write." Fortunately for Sorkin, a little-known fact about Steve Jobs is that he prepared for every product launch by running around naked, shouting at inanimate objects for not loving him enough.

After delivering the critical and box office smash “The Social Network,” Sony has commissioned the Facebook drama’s creative team for another high-profile techie-themed biopic, this time about Apple founder and tech pioneer Steve Jobs.

Sources tell Variety that David Fincher is in early talks to direct the untitled drama, written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and produced by Scott Rudin.

The film is based on the Walter Isaacson biography “Steve Jobs,” to which Sony acquired the rights following the Apple mogul’s death in 2011. Sorkin finished the script earlier this year.

Guymon Casady and Mark Gordon are also on board as producers.

Sorkin has publicly said the Jobs biopic will be divided into three long scenes, each taking place backstage before one of Apple’s infamous product launches.

“The first one being the Mac,” he told the Daily Beast. “The second one being NeXT, after he had left Apple. And the third one being the iPod.”

“It’s a little like writing about the Beatles,” he added. “There are so many people out there that know him and revere him.”

Fincher, who last directed “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” for Sony, is currently in post-production on Fox’s “Gone Girl.” If a deal is completed, filming would most likely not begin to later this year.

Though audiences didn’t rush to see Open Road’s Ashton Kutcher-starring ”Jobs” last year, Sony is confident the Fincher-Sorkin project will have more commercial appeal, given the high-profile creative team involved, not to mention the fact that it’s based on the only authorized biography that Jobs would give his blessing to prior to his death.

The biography, released in 2011, is based on more than 40 interviews Isaacson had with Jobs as well as more than 100 interviews with friends, family and a variety of other associates linked to Jobs over the years.

Fincher is repped by the law firm Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller.

His next movie “Gone Girl,” starring Ben Affleck, opens Oct. 3.

Oscar winner Christian Bale is David Fincher's choice to play Steve Jobs in the untitled movie that Aaron Sorkin has written for Sony, an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.

Scott Rudin and Mark Gordon are producing with Film 360's Guymon Casady.

A representative for Gordon did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment, while Sony declined to comment on the record. A representative for Bale also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Fincher recently met with Sony's Amy Pascal to discuss the possibility of directing the film, and told her, in no uncertain terms, that he'd only take the reins of the project if Bale plays Jobs.

Fincher and Pascal had a tense relationship during the making of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” but Pascal believes in him as a filmmaker — and is inclined to keep him happy, according to one insider. It helps that Pascal has a good relationship with Bale, following a positive experience on “American Hustle.” The film earned Bale an Oscar nomination during a highly-competitive year.

While Steve Jobs is a long way from Batman, Bale has been considered a prime contender to play the tech superhero since the project was first announced due to his physical resemblance to the Apple co-founder.

Bale has not been approached to play Jobs yet, as the actor is taking a brief break from the business to spend time with his family since wrapping the role of Moses in Ridley Scott's “Exodus.” The Biblical epic is expected to have Bale back in the awards conversation.

Sorkin, who won an Oscar for writing Fincher's Facebook drama “The Social Network,” based his script on Walter Isaacson's bestselling authorized biography. That book was, in turn, based on more than 40 interviews that author had with Jobs, as well as interviews with friends, family and colleagues.

The film consists of three long scenes regarding Apple's buzzed-about product launches, including the Mac, NeXT (after Jobs had left Apple) and the iPod.

Production could begin before the end of the year, though an early 2015 start is more likely, as both Bale and Fincher will be busy this fall promoting their respective movies, “Exodus” and “Gone Girl.”

Though Open Road's “Jobs,” which starred Ashton Kutcher, grossed only $35 million worldwide, Sony believes that there is considerable interest across the globe in a Steve Jobs movie made by and featuring A-list talent.

Bale, who will soon be seen in a pair of Terrence Malick movies, has no firm attachments to movies in development. The notoriously selective actor won an Oscar for his supporting performance in David O. Russell's “The Fighter.” He's repped by WME and attorney Carlos Goodman.

Sony Pictures is looking to replace David Fincher as director of its highly anticipated Steve Jobs movie due to his aggressive demands for compensation and control, according to several sources.

Fincher is said to be seeking a hefty $10 million up front in fees, as well as control over marketing, in negotiations with the studio. Sony allowed him considerable input into the marketing of the 2011 film The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, including honoring his request to use the tagline "The feel bad movie of Christmas" in its campaign. A source says Fincher also had the studio create metal, razor-blade-shaped one-sheet materials for the film that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce but were not suitable for display in theaters.

Sony declined to comment. Fincher's reps did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A source with ties to the studio says Fincher potentially could re-enter negotiations but that the fee he is seeking is “ridiculous,” adding, “You’re not doing Transformers here. You’re not doing Captain America. This is quality — it’s not screaming commerciality. He should be rewarded in success but not up front.”

The Jobs movie, based on Walter Isaacson's acclaimed best-selling biography Steve Jobs, would have reunited the team behind The Social Network, including producer Scott Rudin, writer Aaron Sorkin and Fincher. That film grossed $225 million worldwide in 2010 and scored Sorkin a best adapted screenplay Oscar.

Fincher had wanted Christian Bale to star in the Jobs film, though the actor is not attached to the project.

The negotiation comes at a key time for Sony, which is attempting to enforce greater fiscal responsibility after a lackluster summer 2013 that included such disappointments as After Earth and White House Down. The studio previously had been known for spending more freely than its rivals.

Moving fast to replace David Fincher on its highly anticipated Steve Jobs movie, Sony Pictures is in talks with Danny Boyle to direct the biopic of the late Apple Computer co-founder. Boyle is said to have approached Leonardo DiCaprio to star.

As The Hollywood Reporter revealed earlier this month, Fincher fell out of the project due to his aggressive demands for compensation and control. Fincher had wanted Christian Bale for the title role, though the actor was not signed.

The film is to be produced by Scott Rudin and written by Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) based on the best-selling biography of Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Film 360's Guymon Casady and Mark Gordon are also producers on the film.

The Jobs film could mark a reteam of DiCaprio and Boyle, the star and director of 2000's The Beach. Neither has worked with Sorkin before.

Sources caution that deals are not done. And DiCaprio has committed to star in Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu’s thriller The Revenant for New Regency starting in September.

The departure of Fincher dashed hopes of reuniting the team behind Social Network, which grossed $225 million worldwide in 2010.