Though Sony Pictures decided to pass on Aaron Sorkin’s as-yet-untitled Steve Jobs movie shortly after the departure of star Christian Bale, the project is still considered to be relatively high-profile. And today, The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Universal has swooped in to acquire the film in a deal thought to be worth around $30 million.
In Bale’s stead, it’s understood that X-Men star Michael Fassbender will play the role of the late visionary, after a number of big names flirted with the project including the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio. In terms of the talent behind the camera, Universal’s real-life drama is still to be helmed by Trance‘s Danny Boyle, with a script from Aaron Sorkin.
Over the past month, we’ve gradually learned more about the narrative of Sorkin’s Steve Jobs script, which he insists is not a biopic and will instead focus on the Apple co-founder’s daughter, Lisa. In fact, the esteemed screenwriter even went so far as to say that Lisa — who is yet to be cast — will essentially serve as the heroine of the film. Still, it’s understood that Boyle and Sorkin will draw a lot of the drama from Walter Isaacson’s seminal tome about Jobs from 2011.
After incubating in development for almost two years at Sony, it appears as though Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs film is ready to the ground running at Universal — barring any last-minute hiccups, of course. And though Sorkin previously claimed that Christian Bale was the perfect fit to play the titular character — so good, in fact, that he didn’t need to audition — there’s no doubting Fassbender’s range when it comes to these more drama-oriented roles.
We’ll keep you updated on any developments from Boyle and Universal’s Steve Jobs film, but for now, let us know if you’re looking forward to seeing the drama come to fruition under a new studio.
