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Principal filming finally underway for Sorkin/Boyle Steve Jobs biopic, sticking with ‘three keynote’ focus

Universal Pictures has announced that principal filming of the Steve Jobs biopic written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Danny Boyle is now finally underway. The announcement confirms that the movie, dropped by Sony back in November, will still follow the original three-act structure based around three keynote presentations.

Universal Pictures today announced that principal photography has commenced in San Francisco on Steve Jobs. 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.

Surprisingly, Universal says that the final product announcement will be the iMac, in 1998, rather than the launch of the iPhone as had been widely expected … 

Slash Film reports that the two other keynotes are for the original Macintosh and the NeXT computer.

The keynote-based format had been thrown into some doubt earlier this month when film crews set up in the garage of Steve’s childhood home. However, Slash Film says that this is for one of several short flashbacks accounting for “less than 10% of the […] script.”

  • One with Steve Wozniak (played by Seth Rogen) in the garage talking about the original Mac, focusing on the conversation over whether or not to make the Mac a closed system.
  • Another shows Steve Jobs removed from power at Apple. This is where Jeff Daniels would be playing John Sculley.
  • We also see a few snippets showing Job’s home life. This is where we see Jobs’ daughter, who ages 5 to 19 throughout the story played by Makenzie Moss, Ripley Sobo and Perla Haney-Jardine.

Universal confirmed that Michael Fassbender plays the lead role, after both Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio pulled out, Sorkin having originally wanted Tom Cruise. Seth Rogen will play Steve Wozniak, Kate Winslet former Macintosh marketing head Joanna Hoffman and Jeff Daniels appearing as John Sculley.

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Comments

  1. OneOkami (@OneOkami) - 9 years ago

    For some reason I thought I read sometime ago that at least two of the keynotes would be for the iPod and the MacBook Air.

    In any case, I was at one point really excited for this movie because its written by Aaron Sorkin and sourced from Walter Isaacson’s biography (which led me to believe there were be fewer “creative liberties” with Steve’s story than the indie film) and also largely because it was Sorkin and Fincher teaming back up with Christian Bale playing Steve Jobs. That to me was a golden core of a cast/crew.

    With Fincher and Bale bailing and the film being sold and seemingly in “production hell” for a while I’m now more skeptical of it. I’ll still go see it but I’m not really excited for it anymore.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Yes, there were indeed rumors of both iPhone and iPod keynotes. I’m surprised and intrigued that Sorkin didn’t include iPhone.

      • Matthew Priestley - 9 years ago

        Hi Ben, this will be because, as the lights go down after the final scene, the screen will go black and just before the credits roll (with the screen still black) there’ll be a Steve Jobs voiceover :

        “OK, i’ve got an idea for a new phone”

        that’ll get the audience feeling all warm and fuzzy as they leave.

        seriously, that’s what will happen !

  2. thshmbl - 9 years ago

    Sorkin wanted Tom Cruise to play Jobs? Seriously?

  3. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    Really couldn’t be less interested in this film. “Jobs” felt like a remake of “Pirates”, and this will feel like remake of both.

    As long as they insist on “going back to the garage”, its just the same story/different actors.

    • Uh, no. This is nothing like those two projects. There is some serious talent behind this film, and Job’s story is being told in a non-traditional way.

    • AeronPeryton - 9 years ago

      The Pirates of Silicon Valley was about the dynamic between Steve Jobs/Apple and Bill Gates/Microsoft. Jobs was about Apple specifically, and how Jobs created and changed the company and how it changed him. Jobs only even mentions (never showing) Microsoft and Bill Gates in one scene.

      The Sorkin movie looks like it’s going to throw out everything except the man, and focus on Jobs as a character and what drove him. The first two films had their own strengths and weaknesses and brought something unique to the table. I’ve watched Pirates multiple times and really wanna see Jobs again. I think that this movie, being sourced from the biography and written by the awesome Aaron Sorkin, will at least be as good.

  4. johnmfoley (@johnmfoley) - 9 years ago

    So two ideas they might be going for:

    1) Not chronological: The final keynote may be the Mac, but maybe the first of the three is the iPhone or iPad or iPod

    2) Jobs — The Sequel: iPod, iPhone, iPad and illness :(

    That said, maybe iPod to iPad is just too recent history and doesn’t play out as well as a film or something.

  5. drtyrell969 - 9 years ago

    We must revise our heroes, otherwise they may remain our heroes. So long “the legacy of the real Steve Jobs.”

  6. hisdudenessman - 9 years ago

    Please God don’t let them make this shit, man.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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