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  • Kate Winslet Stars in Three Films, Still Incredibly Sexy at 40

    Kate Winslet will star in three films in the next six months. Steve Jobs, The Dressmaker, and Tripe 9 will all highlight the beautiful leading lady who, despite turning 40 this coming Monday, still boasts a great deal of sex appeal.

    Winslets says she welcomes 40. In fact, she stars opposite Liam Hemsworth in The Dressmaker–playing his love interest. That alone makes 40 well worth celebrating. Her only negative thought about reaching the milestone birthday is that she can’t “get rip-roaring drunk any more.”

    “I did say to Jocelyn [Moorhouse, the director], ‘Are we going to get away with this?’ And she said, ‘Yeah, yeah, he looks older than he is.’ Anyway, I don’t feel old. I feel excited about being 40,” she says of starring opposite the Hunger Games hottie.

    “I feel like the past two years have been different for me, deliberately so,” she says in a recent interview for The Edit. “I really wanted to mix it up a bit, and feel that I was going full pelt towards 40 having done as much as I could: pushed myself, challenged myself, exhausted myself, had as much fun as possible. The last two years of my life have put a different sort of rocket fuel up my backside.”

    Kate Winslet admits there are a few things she can no longer do–things she definitely enjoyed in her 20s.

    “You can get away with a lot more in your twenties,” she admits. “You can get away with having one too many vodka tonics, and you can wake up in the morning and not have a puffy face. I couldn’t go out now and get rip-roaring drunk; I’d take a week to recover and I value my life too much. Plus, I have children.”

    Winslet believes women become more beautiful as they age. She is proof positive of that.

    “Confidence comes with age, and looking beautiful comes from the confidence someone has in themselves,” she says.

    Will you be checking out the very sexy, very beautiful 40-year-old Kate Winslet in any of her upcoming films? Steve Jobs opens on October 23rd. The Dressmaker hits U.S. theaters on December 5th. Tripe 9 comes out in March of 2016.

  • Kate Winslet Tackles Challenging Role In Steve Jobs Movie

    Kate Winslet is excited to be part of an upcoming film that features the creative side of the notorious workaholic, Apple founder Steve Jobs, and said she has no reservations about doing it.

    In an interview at the Toronto Film Festival, Winslet said: “I have no reservations whatsoever and so excited to be a part of this project.”

    The Oscar-winning actress plays Joanna Hoffman in the movie, who was one of Jobs’ team members during the period when he was preparing to launch the first Apple computer.

    She revealed that when she first learned of the role, she “couldn’t get hold of a script” since she could not find any similarities between herself and Hoffman. Hoffman is an Armenian-American girl who has dark hair and glasses. What she did was she tried on three dark wigs of different lengths and put on some make-up, took a selfie, and sent it to the producer Scott Rudin. Soon after, a script for Steve Jobs was emailed to her by Boyle. Winslet revealed that writer Aaron Sorkin and director Danny Boyle, known for their unique film treatment especially on contemporary subjects, came up with a different approach for the upcoming movie.

    The movie was shot like a play and was told in three acts. According to Winslet, each act covered a different year in Jobs’ life: 1984, 1988 and, 1998, as the founder of Apple.  “We shot each act in chronological order, one act at a time,” said the actress.

    Although the actress enjoyed the filming, she admitted that it was “challenging.”

    “It was very hard for all of us to really come up with what Danny (Boyle) wanted and needed to put this film together,” she said.

    Winslet stars alongside Michael Fassbender who plays Steve Jobs. The movie is slated to hit theaters next month.

  • Steve Jobs Trailer: Here’s Your First Real Look at the Long-Awaited Movie

    In May, Universal dropped a teaser for its upcoming film Steve Jobs, the Aaron sorkin-penned biopic of the late Apple co-founder.

    Today, we get the first official trailer:

    Here’s the official line, from Universal:

    Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

     

    Steve Jobs is directed by Academy Award® winner Danny Boyle and written by Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin, working from Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography of the Apple founder. The producers are Mark Gordon, Guymon Casady of Film 360, Scott Rudin and Academy Award winner Christian Colson.

     

    Michael Fassbender plays Steve Jobs, the pioneering founder of Apple, with Academy Award®-winning actress Kate Winslet starring as Joanna Hoffman, former marketing chief of Macintosh. Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple, is played by Seth Rogen, and Jeff Daniels stars as former Apple CEO John Sculley. The film also stars Katherine Waterston as Chrisann Brennan, Jobs’ ex-girlfriend, and Michael Stuhlbarg as Andy Hertzfeld, one of the original members of the Apple Macintosh
    development team.

    Those iconic product launches are the Macintosh, NeXT, and the iMac.

    The film will hit theaters on October 9th.

  • Kate Winslet, Michael Fassbender Get Serious In “Steve Jobs” Teaser

    Kate Winslet has played everyone from a fiesty society girl to a young woman with a lot of memories she wants to get rid of, but her next turn is a more serious role than we’ve come to expect from her. A new teaser trailer for Steve Jobs has been released, and while it doesn’t give us a whole lot, it does give a glimpse of Winslet’s look in the biopic about the Apple genius, played by Michael Fassbender.

    Kate plays Joanna Hoffman, the former marketing chief of Macintosh, and is sporting a darker look than we’re used to seeing. The film also stars Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak and Jeff Daniels as former Apple CEO John Sculley. In the trailer, we get a quick glimpse of Winslet, Rogen, and Daniels as various voices give us an idea of just how dramatic the film will be.

    “At 9:41, planet’s going to shift on its axis line forever. Two most significant events in the twentieth century: Allies win the war and this,” Fassbender says.

    The trailer closes with a look at him wearing Jobs’ iconic black turtleneck as he walks onto a stage to a rowdy round of applause.

    While this isn’t the first film about Jobs–Ashton Kutcher portrayed the entrepreneur in 2013–it’s one of the most anticipated due to the issues that have plagued it from the start; Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, and David Fincher all walked away from the project, which was written by Aaron Sorkin and is directed by Danny Boyle.

    Winslet spoke earlier this year about her role in Insurgent , saying the part was especially difficult because she was pregnant during filming.

    “It affects your ability to feel like you’re not actually disappearing. I just didn’t feel very together at all, physically or mentally. I don’t have those great, strong, glowing pregnancies,” Kate Winslet said.

  • Here’s Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs in the First Official Trailer for ‘Steve Jobs’

    Steve Jobs, the highly-anticipated biopic of the late Apple co-founder, finally started filming in January after it spent a while on a casting and directing carousel. Now, Universal Pictures has just dropped the first official teaser for the film.

    Here’s your first look at Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs. What do you think?

    The rest of the cast is as follows: Seth Rogen as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Jeff Daniels is former Apple CEO John Sculley. Kate Winslet is playing former marketing chief of Macintosh Joanna Hoffman. Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice, Being Flynn) will star as Chrisann Brennan, Jobs’ ex-girlfriend. Other cast members include Andy Hertzfeld, Perla Haney-Jardine, Ripley Sobo, Makenzie Moss, Sarah Snook, and Adam Shapiro.

    The film, penned by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Danny Boyle, is “set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac,” says Universal. “The film takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.”

    Here’s a brief history of the film’s transformations:

    Universal picked up the project last November when Sony dropped it after a creative carousel likely left the studio a bit fatigued.

    The film was first announced in May of 2012, and soon after Sony hired Aaron Sorkin to pen the screenplay. He finished the script and submitted it in January of 2014.

    Since then, it’s been rife with issues. David Fincher was originally attached to direct the film (he and Sorkin had worked together on another film, The Social Network). It was reported that Fincher wanted Christian Bale for the lead role – and that it was pretty much a Bale or bust ultimatum.

    In April, Fincher left the project amid reports that he was making “aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    The movie then traveled to director Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio became the next rumored Steve Jobs. The next few weeks were filled with more Christian Bale rumors. But when Universal picked up the film for a reported $30 million, Fassbender got the job to play the late Apple co-founder.

    The film will hit theaters in October. Let’s hope it’s worth the wait.

  • Tim Cook Tried to Give His Liver to Ailing Steve Jobs

    Tim Cook Tried to Give His Liver to Ailing Steve Jobs

    If you were wondering just how close current Apple CEO Tim Cook felt to former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, well, here’s your answer.

    The former attempted to give the latter part of his liver.

    That’s the word from Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader, a new Steve Jobs biography due out on March 24. Fast Company got its hands on a excerpt from the book, written by journalists Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli, and it explains how in 2009 Cook, distraught over Jobs’ worsening condition, took the steps to see if he could help.

    One afternoon, Cook left the house feeling so upset that he had his own blood tested. He found out that he, like Steve, had a rare blood type, and guessed that it might be the same. He started doing research, and learned that it is possible to transfer a portion of a living person’s liver to someone in need of a transplant. About 6,000 living-donor transplants are performed every year in the United States, and the rate of success for both donor and recipient is high. The liver is a regenerative organ. The portion transplanted into the recipient will grow to a functional size, and the portion of the liver that the donor gives up will also grow back.

    Apparently, Jobs shot Cook’s offer down immediately, saying, “I’ll never let you do that.”

    More from the book:

    “Somebody that’s selfish,” Cook continues, “doesn’t reply like that. I mean, here’s a guy, he’s dying, he’s very close to death because of his liver issue, and here’s someone healthy offering a way out. I said, ‘Steve, I’m perfectly healthy, I’ve been checked out. Here’s the medical report. I can do this and I’m not putting myself at risk, I’ll be fine.’ And he doesn’t think about it. It was not, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ It was not, ‘I’ll think about it.’ It was not, ‘Oh, the condition I’m in . . .’ It was, ‘No, I’m not doing that!’ He kind of popped up in bed and said that. And this was during a time when things were just terrible. Steve only yelled at me four or five times during the 13 years I knew him, and this was one of them.

    So this is coming straight from Cook.

    According to Cult of Mac, the new biography features interviews with Tim Cook, Jony Ive, Eddy Cue, Pixar’s John Lasseter, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Jobs’ widow, Laurene Powell Jobs. The book may be seen as a bit of a departure from the tone in Walter Isaacson’s best-selling 2011 bio Steve Jobs – which Cook himself maligns in the new book as doing a “tremendous disservice” to Jobs.

  • ‘Steve Jobs’ Cast Confirmed: Michael Fassbender to Star, Filming Begins

    Shooting for Universal Pictures’ Steve Jobs biopic (formerly Sony Pictures’ Steve Jobs biopic), has officially begun – and with that, the official cast has been announced.

    No real surprises here, as Michael Fassbender will play Jobs. Kate Winslet will play former marketing chief of Macintosh Joanna Hoffman. The only recent rumor that didn’t materialize was a “major role” for Natalie Portman.

    In the role of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, we have Seth Rogen. Jeff Daniels is former Apple CEO John Sculley. Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice, Being Flynn) will star as Chrisann Brennan, Jobs’ ex-girlfriend. Other cast members include Andy Hertzfeld, Perla Haney-Jardine, Ripley Sobo, Makenzie Moss, Sarah Snook, and Adam Shapiro.

    Danny Boyle will direct. As far as the structure of the film, Universal has confirmed what screenwriter Aaron Sorkin said last year.

    “Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, the film takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter,” says Universal.

    Universal picked up the project last November when Sony dropped it after a creative carousel likely left the studio a bit fatigued.

    The film was first announced in May of 2012, and soon after Sony hired Aaron Sorkin to pen the screenplay. He finished the script and submitted it in January of 2014.

    Since then, it’s been rife with issues. David Fincher was originally attached to direct the film (he and Sorkin had worked together on another film, The Social Network). It was reported that Fincher wanted Christian Bale for the lead role – and that it was pretty much a Bale or bust ultimatum.

    In April, Fincher left the project amid reports that he was making “aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    The movie then traveled to director Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio became the next rumored Steve Jobs. The next few weeks were filled with more Christian Bale rumors. But when Universal picked up the film for a reported $30 million, Fassbender became the frontrunner to play the late Apple co-founder.

    And here we are, years later, and the film is just now getting off the ground. Let’s hope it’s worth the wait.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • The First Apps From The Big Apple IBM Partnership Are Here

    Back in July, Apple and IBM announced a partnership to bring the latter’s big data and analytics capabilities to iPhone and iPad with over 100 industry-specific enterprise solutions. These would include native apps for both devices, IBM cloud services specifically optimized for iOS (device management, security, analytics, mobile integration), a new AppleCare service, a support offering for the enterprise, and new packaged offerings from IBM for device activation, supply and management.

    Apple just announced the availability of the first apps from the partnership. IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions are now available to enterprise customers in banking, retail, insurance, financial services, telecommunications and for governments and airlines. Citi, Air Canada, Sprint and Banorte are already announcing support.

    “What we’re delivering aims directly at the new quest of business—smart technologies that unlock new value at the intersection of big data and individual engagement,” said Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president of IBM Global Business Services. “Our collaboration combines IBM’s industry expertise and unmatched position in enterprise computing, with Apple’s legendary user experience and excellence in product design to lift the performance of a new generation of business professionals.”

    “This is a big step for iPhone and iPad in the enterprise, and we can’t wait to see the exciting new ways organizations will put iOS devices to work,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The business world has gone mobile, and Apple and IBM are bringing together the world’s best technology with the smartest data and analytics to help businesses redefine how work gets done.”

    Apple runs down the new apps (more of which are coming) by industry:

    Plan Flight (Travel and Transportation) addresses the major expense of all airlines—fuel—permitting pilots to view flight schedules, flight plans, and crew manifests ahead of time, report issues in-flight to ground crews, and make more informed decisions about discretionary fuel.

    Passenger+ (Travel and Transportation) empowers flight crews to offer an unmatched level of personalized services to passengers in-flight—including special offers, re-booking, and baggage information.

    Advise & Grow (Banking and Financial Markets) puts bankers on premise with their small business clients, with secure authorization to access client profiles and competitive analyses, gather analytics-driven insights to make personalized recommendations, and complete secure transactions.

    Trusted Advice (Banking and Financial Markets) allows advisors to access and manage client portfolios, gain insight from powerful predictive analytics—in the client’s kitchen or at the local coffee shop, rather than the advisor’s office—with full ability to test recommendations with sophisticated modeling tools all the way to complete, secure transactions.

    Retention (Insurance) empowers agents with access to customers’ profiles and history, including an analytics-driven retention risk score as well as smart alerts, reminders, and recommendations on next best steps and facilitation of key transactions like collection of e-signatures and premiums.

    Case Advice (Government) addresses the issue of workload and support among caseworkers who are making critical decisions, one family or situation at a time, on the go. The solution adjusts case priorities based on real-time analytics-driven insights, and assesses risk based on predictive analysis.

    Incident Aware (Government) converts an iPhone into a vital crime prevention asset, presenting law enforcement officers with real-time access to maps and video-feeds of incident locations; information about victim status, escalation risk, and crime history; and improved ability to call for back-up and supporting services.
    Sales Assist (Retail) enables associates to connect with customer profiles, make suggestions based on previous purchases and current selections, check inventory, locate items in-store, and ship out-of-store items.

    Pick & Pack (Retail) combines proximity-based technology with back-end inventory systems for transformed order fulfillment.

    Expert Tech (Telecommunications) taps into native iOS capabilities including FaceTime® for easy access to expertise and location services for route optimization to deliver superior on-site service, more effective issue resolution and productivity as well as improved customer satisfaction.

    Let’s not forget how remarkable it actually is to see this big partnership between the two companies. Apple and IBM have famously had a long rivalry. Bloomberg even has a list of Steve Jobs “disses” of IBM, one of which includes this photo of Jobs flipping off the company’s logo.


    How the times have changed.

    “iPhone and iPad are the best mobile devices in the world and have transformed the way people work with over 98 percent of the Fortune 500 and over 92 percent of the Global 500 using iOS devices in their business today,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook when the partnership was announced. “For the first time ever we’re putting IBM’s renowned big data analytics at iOS users’ fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple. This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver.”

    More on MobileFirst for iOS here.

  • Natalie Portman in Talks to Star in Steve Jobs Biopic

    Natalie Portman is reportedly in talks to star in the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic, Jobs.

    According to Deadline, Portman may have a major role in the film that is struggling to get off the ground.

    Sony dropped its backing for the project completely last week, and it was picked up by Universal.

    The screenplay was written by The Social Network‘s Aaron Sorkin and Slumdog Millionaire‘s Danny Boyle is set to direct the movie based on Walter Isaacson’s 2001 Steve Jobs biography.

    Reports claim Michael Fassbender is set to star as Jobs, replacing Christian Bale, and producers were reportedly reaching out to Scarlett Johansson, although it looks like the role may now go to Portman. Seth Rogen is also reported to be the choice for the part of Steve Wozniak.

    Portman, who won an Academy Award for her role in Black Swan, is currently in post-production on her directional debut, A Tale Of Love And Darkness. The movie, in which she will also star, is an adaptation of Israeli writer Amos Oz’s memoir. She is also co-producing Burr Steers’ Pride And Prejudice And Zombies and is starring in two upcoming Terrence Malick films.

    Busy girl!

  • Natalie Portman To Join Steve Jobs Biopic?

    Natalie Portman To Join Steve Jobs Biopic?

    Natalie Portman is the latest celebrity to be linked to the Steve Jobs biopic.

    According to Deadline, Portman is currently in negotiations to play a role in the film.

    While character details have not been revealed, the part is said to be a major one, and based on her age and the resemblance, it is speculated that she will take on the role of Lisa, Jobs’ daughter, if a deal is made.

    Sony first picked up the script by Aaron Sorkin, but dropped it earlier this month. However, the much anticipated film was picked up by Universal Studios and is currently back on track.

    The role of Steve Jobs has had many A-list celebrities tied to it including Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, David Fincher, and most recently, Michael Fassbender.

    Another actor set to join the cast is comedian Seth Rogan. Rogan is in talks to play the part of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and if he is chosen, it will mark Rogan’s first dramatic role.

    Rogan recently talked to IGN News about the part and said he would love to be a part of the project.

    “It’s a cool team,” he told the website. “There’s a lot that needs to happen between now and then – they haven’t closed the deal with the studio which means they haven’t closed the deals with any of the actors or any of that stuff. But if that movie gets made, I think there’s a good chance that I will be in it.”

  • Natalie Portman Rumored for ‘Major Role’ in New Steve Jobs Film

    At this point, it feels like the long-promised Steve Jobs biopic based on Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography may never actually happen. After months in limbo, enduring a revolving door of attached talent, Sony finally dropped the film earlier this month. Universal picked it up, however, so it looks like things are back on track.

    And today, there’s news that a big name might already be attached.

    Deadline is reporting that Natalie Portman is in talks to join the film – as a yet unspecified “major role”.

    If you’re wondering what’s been going on with the movie for the past year or so, here’s a brief explainer of the headaches surrounding the film:

    The film was first announced in May of 2012, and soon after Sony hired Aaron Sorkin to pen the screenplay. He finished the script and submitted it in January of this year.

    Since then, it’s been a talent carousel. David Fincher was first attached to the project (he and Sorkin had worked together on another film, The Social Network). It was reported that Fincher wanted Christian Bale for the lead role – and that it was pretty much a Bale or Bust ultimatum.

    In April, Fincher exited the project amid reports that he was making “aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    On came director Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio became the next rumored Steve Jobs. Then he wasn’t. Then it was Christian Bale again. Then it was Christian Bale, confirmed.

    Then it wasn’t.

    After all that, Sony Pictures dropped the film and a few days later, Universal picked it up for somewhere around $30 million.

    Now, in the hands of Universal, we have Natalie Portman being tossed around. As to who’s going to play the title role, well, that’s still up in the air. Michael Fassbender is the current pick – though that’s yet to be confirmed. As far as the other Apple co-founder goes, Steve Wozniak might very well be given to Seth Rogen.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Steve Jobs Movie Finds New Life at Universal

    The Steve Jobs movie has life, as Universal Pictures has decided to pick up the recently-abandoned project.

    Last week, Sony Pictures abruptly ditched the high-profile film. It appeared that the company had become a bit frustrated with the project, which had been sitting in limbo watching an acting/directing carousel spin – despite having a completed script since January. Rumor had it that Universal was looking to buy it, and it appears that is the case, confirms The Hollywood Reporter.

    Here’s a brief explainer of the headaches surrounding the film:

    The film was first announced in May of 2012, and soon after Sony hired Aaron Sorkin to pen the screenplay. He finished the script and submitted it in January of this year.

    Since then, it’s been a talent carousel. David Fincher was first attached to the project (he and Sorkin had worked together on another film, The Social Network). It was reported that Fincher wanted Christian Bale for the lead role – and that it was pretty much a Bale or Bust ultimatum.

    In April, Fincher exited the project amid reports that he was making “aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    On came director Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio became the next rumored Steve Jobs. Then he wasn’t. Then it was Christian Bale again. Then it was Christian Bale, confirmed.

    Then it wasn’t.

    At this point, Michael Fassbender is being eyed for the Jobs role. As far as the other Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Seth Rogen is apparently in talks.

    Danny Boyle is still attached to direct, and THR says that it’s looking good for Michael Fassbender to play the late Apple co-founder.

    The project reportedly sported a $30 million price tag.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Steve Jobs Movie Dropped by Sony But May Find Life Elsewhere

    It appears that Sony, like the rest of us, are sick and tired of waiting for the newest Steve Jobs movie to get off the ground.

    According to Deadline, Sony Pictures just dumped the project.

    If you haven’t been following the talent drama surrounding the film, which is based on Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography, here’s a brief explainer.

    The film was first announced in May of 2012, and soon after Sony hired Aaron Sorkin to pen the screenplay. He finished the script and submitted it in January of this year.

    Since then, it’s been a talent carousel. David Fincher was first attached to the project (he and Sorkin had worked together on another film, The Social Network). It was reported that Fincher wanted Christian Bale for the lead role – and that it was pretty much a Bale or Bust ultimatum.

    In April, Fincher exited the project amid reports that he was making “aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    On came director Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio became the next rumored Steve Jobs. Then he wasn’t. Then it was Christian Bale again. Then it was Christian Bale, confirmed.

    Then it wasn’t.

    At this point, Michael Fassbender is being eyed for the Jobs role. As far as the other Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Seth Rogen is apparently in talks.

    Did that make your head hurt? It probably made execs at Sony’s heads hurt.

    So, is the movie dead? Will we never have the chance to see if this Steve Jobs movie could be any better than that Ashton Kutcher disaster?

    Probably not. According to Variety, Universal is likely to pick up the film.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Christian Bale is Out; Michael Fassbender is In: Who Will Be Steve Jobs?

    Aaron Sorkin, the man behind The West Wing and Newsroom, has written a new movie about Steve Jobs. A previous movie about Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher as the late Apple genius did not go over so well. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak did not warm to it, and even said it was mostly “fiction,” not representing the real people and events surrounding Steve Jobs very well.

    Danny Boyle, who directed Slumdog Millionaire, is on the project. Now all they need is a Steve Jobs. But that has been a bit of a problem.

    First they wanted Leonardo DiCaprio, but Leo said he would be too busy with filming The Revenant, which also stars Tom Hardy and Domnhall Gleeson, and then will take a break for a while.

    Then they grabbed Christian Bale. Bale recently did Exodus with Ridley Scott. But Bale backed out, telling the filmmakers that he didn’t think he was right for the part. Considering that Bale called Moses, the man he plays in Exodus, a “schizophrenic… barbaric individual,” one wonders what he felt did not fit him about Steve Jobs for him to turn that down.

    Somewhere in the middle of all this, they grabbed Seth Rogen to play Steve Wozniak. With Rogen’s round face and beard, he seems perfect. Let’s hope he doesn’t drop out of this or they’ll end up grabbing Jonah Hill to replace him.

    And now the word on the street is that Michael Fassbender is the latest name to surface for playing Steve Jobs. Fassbender certainly has the build. He’s got the acting chops. Both he and Bale can look the part, which makes one wonder what they were thinking with tossing DiCaprio’s name out there. Not many people knew what Frank Abagnale or Jordan Belfort looked like. We all know what Steve Jobs looks like.

    We’ll see who’s in the seats when the music stops. They’d better pin it down soon. Danny Boyle is scheduled to meet the cast this week and start filming this winter.

  • Michael Fassbender Joins the Steve Jobs Carousel

    At this point you, I, and John Wayne all have a pretty good shot at playing Steve Jobs in the upcoming biopic based on the best-selling biography by Walter Isaacson. I mean, why not?

    Joining the carousel today is Michael Fassbender. Variety quotes sources who claim that the Academy Award-nominated actor is in “early talks” to play the late Apple co-founder.

    What, wasn’t Leonardo DiCaprio supposed to play him? Yes, at one point.

    No, it was Christian Bale. He was the next movie Steve Jobs.

    Right again, and that train was boarded and then derailed quite recently. Just two weeks ago, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin confirmed that Bale would be playing Jobs in the film, and that he was “gonna crush it.” Less than two weeks later, Bale was out, reportedly after coming to the conclusion that he simply wasn’t right for the part.

    The movie’s been written since January, and at this point the primary concern isn’t picking the right person to portray Jobs, it’s making a film while there’s still anyone left who truly cares. Remember, the first Steve Jobs biopic – the Ashton Kutcher one – came out over a year ago and pretty much bombed.

    One interesting casting decision might help. Apparently, Seth Rogen is in talks to play another Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak.

    There is one constant in all this. For the last few months, at least, it’s been Danny Boyle at the helm.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Christian Bale Reportedly NOT Playing Steve Jobs (Again)

    Christian Bale will not be playing Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic from Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin, according to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter.

    Sorkin, who based the screenplay on Walter Isaac Walter Isaacson’s 2011 biography, recently confirmed to Bloomberg that Bale would be taking on the role, saying he “couldn’t be more excited about him,” and that he’s a “phenomenal actor.”

    But that was then and this is now. THR reports:

    Sources say Bale, after much deliberation and conflicting feelings, came to the conclusion he was not right for the part and decided to withdraw.

    Bale’s name has been mentioned with this film for quite some time as has Leonardo DiCaprio’s. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Bradley Cooper have also been brought up at one time or another. Recent reports have Seth Rogen as a possibility for Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

    Either way, you can’t have a Steve Jobs movie without a Steve Jobs, so I guess you’ll be waiting a bit more on this one. In the meantime, feel free to head over to Netflix and watch Ashton Kutcher pretend to be Jobs. After that, you can decide for yourself if you want to see this story told again on screen.

    Or you could, you know, just read the book.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Seth Rogen Considered to Play Steve Wozniak Opposite Christian Bale’s Steve Jobs

    The Wrap is reporting that Seth Rogen is being considered for the role of Steve Wozniak in the Steve Jobs biopic also rumored to star Christian Bale.

    Bale’s involvement with the upcoming film has been much ballyhooed already. He ended up at the front of the line when Leonardo DiCaprio passed on the role.

    There are high hopes for the new film, considering that another Steve Jobs-centered film, Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher, did not quite live up to expectations. It was even mildly panned by the man Rogen is in talks to play in the new one, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

    “I had such high hopes for this movie and, oh, it was so hard to say that it let me down a bit and it fell a bit flat,” Wozniak told ABC News of the Kutcher-fronted Jobs.

    “Ashton played Steve Jobs’ mannerisms so well but he didn’t bring out the thinking that makes us love Steve [and] the ideas that drove Apple forward,” Wozniak said.

    Wozniak elaborated a bit more in a review he posted to Gizmodo.

    “I thought the acting throughout was good. I was attentive and entertained but not greatly enough to recommend the movie.

    “I suspect a lot of what was wrong with the film came from Ashton’s own image of Jobs… I’m grateful to Steve for his excellence in the i-era, and his contribution to my own life of enjoying great products, but this movie portrays him having had those skills in earlier times.

    It wasn’t just Kutcher’s portrayal of Jobs that landed wrong with Wozniak, but other characterizations as well.

    “I felt bad for many people I know well who were portrayed wrongly in their interactions with Jobs and the company.”

    Perhaps the most damning statement of all that Wozniak made is something he actually attributed to someone else, but hints that the people represented in the Jobs film felt they were not fairly portrayed at all. That it was less a biopic and more a fictionalization.

    “One friend who is in the movie said he didn’t want to watch fiction so he wasn’t interested in seeing it.”

  • Christian Bale Didn’t Have To Audition For Steve Jobs Role

    Christian Bale has a long and impressive film resume–which holds everything from The Dark Knight to American Psycho–and, at this point, can probably afford to be picky about the projects he takes on. It also means that when directors are looking for a specific kind of actor, Bale will get the job without auditioning. That’s exactly what happened when it came time to cast a new biopic about Steve Jobs.

    “What we needed was the best actor. He really is a phenomenal actor. He didn’t have to audition. He’s going to crush it,” screenwriter Aaron Sorkin said.

    The role has already been inhabited by a few actors, including Ashton Kutcher, but Sorkin called it “an extremely difficult part” before praising Bale’s talents.

    Before Bale can tackle the intimidating role, however, he’ll appear in Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods And Kings. The actor has drawn criticism recently for his take on Moses, calling him “barbaric”.

    “I think the man was likely schizophrenic and was one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life. He’s a very troubled and tumultuous man who fought greatly against God, against his calling,” he said.

  • Christian Bale Will Play Steve Jobs, Sorkin Says He’ll ‘Crush It’

    Christian Bale will be your next film Steve Jobs.

    Aaron Sorkin, screenwriter of the upcoming biopic based on Walter Isaacson’s 2011 biography Steve Jobs, confirmed to Bloomberg that the Dark Knight actor will be taking on the role of the late Apple co-founder.

    “I couldn’t be more excited about him,” said Sorkin. “He really is a phenomenal actor.”

    Sorkin also said that Bale didn’t really have to audition for the role, but there was a meeting.

    “The role is an extremely difficult role. He has more words to say in this movie than most people have in three movies combined. There isn’t a scene – or frame – that he’s not in, and there’s a tremendous amount of language.

    “It’s an extremely difficult part and he’s gonna crush it.”

    Bale’s name was rumored months ago, and then it faded as the Leonardo DiCaprio rumor train took off. Just last week, Bale was once again thrown back into the rumor mix, alongside names like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Bradley Cooper.

    As far as directing goes, that job falls on Danny Boyle after David Fincher dropped out of contention.

    Production on the still-untitled film will kick of in the next couple of months. Sorkin actually finished the script back in January.

    Do you think Bale is going to ‘crush it’? I bet Bale thinks he’s going to crush it.

  • Christian Bale Is the Newest Rumored Steve Jobs, Again

    In regard to the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic (the one based on the Walter Isaacson book, not the Ashton Kutcher one), remember when it was Bale or bust? Then we took a ride on the Leo DiCaprio rumor train?

    Ok, now it’s back to Bale.

    According to sources quoted in The Hollywood Reporter, Sony is “beginning negotiations” with Bale. As you may recall, Bale has already been rumored for the role – but that was when David Fincher was attached to the project. Fincher reportedly gave the studio the “I want Bale” ultimatum, but Fincher’s time with the project fell through thanks to his “aggressive demands for compensation and control”.

    Or at least the rumor goes.

    But now the Danny Boyle has grabbed the reigns and Leonardo DiCaprio has bowed out, we could possibly see Christian Bale as Steve Jobs after all.

    Apparently Bale has a bit of extra room on his schedule now that negotiations for another film have stalled. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper are other top names that have popped up.

    As I’ve said before – bring on the Bale. It might be the only way to keep people giving a damn about this movie, which seems like it’s been in limbo for ages. He’s the Steve Jobs Cupertino deserves, and the one it needs right now.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Leonardo DiCaprio Is Apparently Not Your Next Steve Jobs

    If you’ve been following the rumors and reports surrounding the upcoming biopic of Steve Jobs, based on Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography, you probably have a headache.

    The last report had Danny Boyle signed on to direct, with Leonardo DiCaprio pegged for the title role. Apparently, Boyle wanted DiCaprio. We all want DiCaprio, right?

    Well, it’s not going to happen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leo has exited the film. He has to go shoot Alejandro González Iñárritu’s next film, The Revenant. Apparently, DiCaprio considered doing the Steve Jobs biopic after shooting The Revenant, but that’s fallen through as well.

    Boyle/DiCaprio was the latest power duo rumored for the film – but they weren’t the first. Earlier this year it was David Fincher that was set to take the reins – and the rumor was that he gave the studio an ultimatum. Fincher wanted Christian Bale for the Steve Jobs role. It was Bale or nothing.

    That combo fell through as well, reportedly due to Fincher’s “aggressive demands for compensation and control.”

    A brief history of the film – About the time that we learned that Ashton Kutcher would be playing Jobs in an indie biopic, we heard that another Jobs biopic was coming to the big screen–one based on the best-selling biography by Walter Isaacson. Rumor had it that The Social Network screenwriter Aaron Sorkin would write the script. This was all in 2011, and Sony Pictures didn’t confirm Aaron Sorkin as the screenwriter until a year later. About two years later, in January of 2014, Sorkin turned in his script for the movie. And there it has floated in limbo ever since.

    So, who’s up now? THR says Sony is eyeing Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper.

    Whoever they land, they should land them quickly. It’s been years since Steve Jobs passed away after a long battle with cancer. It may sound crass, but the longer the film sits in limbo, the less likely people are to give a damn about it – especially if one is following the news surrounding it. Call it Jobs fatigue.

    Images via Wikimedia Commons, (1) (2)