Skip to main content

Sony secures rights to Steve Jobs movie: Who should play the Apple creator?

jobs movieIf there were ever a story that lends itself to the silver screen, this would be the one. After reporting that Sony was in negotiations to bring the late Apple founder’s life to the big screen, an anonymous insider tells the New York Times that the production studio has secured the rights. Sony has yet to issue an official statement. 

Sony will fork over $1 million to adapt author Walter Isaacson’s authorized Jobs biography for the theatre. The race to buy these movie rights has undoubtedly heated up given the public’s reaction to Jobs’ death and the continuing coverage it’s garnered–not to mention the heightened anticipation for Isaacson’s book. 

Details on when the film will begin production or be released remain under wraps, but if Sony’s past scheduling is any indication we expect relatively quick turnaround. Shortly after Michael Jackson’s death, the studio had the documentary This Is It in theatres.

Of course, a documentary yields different production needs, i.e., casting. The “who’s going to play Steve Jobs?!” speculation will hit full tilt shortly, so we’re going to add our two cents early.

1. Jason Shwartzman. He has the brooding personality type and passion-meets-rage thing down pat. 

schwartzman
Image used with permission by copyright holder

2. Ashton Kutcher. Honestly, Kutcher’s acting chops lie somewhere between poor and unknown, but you can’t deny the resemblance between the actor and a young Jobs. Maybe he’d surprise us..? We’re grasping at straws here, but the similarities are uncanny. 

kutcher
Image used with permission by copyright holder

3. Noah Wyle. For old time’s sake, we just had to. Pirates of Silicon Valley is a cult classic, partially thanks to Wyle’s take on Jobs. 

wyle
Image used with permission by copyright holder

4. Jim Caviezel. He’s already played Jesus so why not take on the role of geek god? 

 caviezel

 5. Joaquin Pheonix. The actor took on Johnny Cash in the much-lauded Walk the Line, proving he’s talented–and crazy–enough to tackle larger than life characters. 

phoenix
Image used with permission by copyright holder

While we’re far from a release date, we’d imagine Sony is itching to get started on a project that will obviously strike a chord with audiences. 

Editors' Recommendations

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
Bruins vs Panthers live stream: Can you watch for free?
FLA Live Arena before Florida Panthers NHL game.

In a matchup that could very well determine this year's Atlantic Division champions in the NHL, the Boston Bruins head to Amerant Bank Arena to face off against the Florida Panthers. They enter this one tied at 97 points apiece, though Florida has an extra game in hand.

If you want to watch the game, you better pick a streaming option below soon, as it starts at 7:00 p.m. ET. It will be televised locally only on NESN (Bruins markets) and Bally Sports Florida (Panthers markets). But if you don't have those channels or you live out of market, there are some different ways you can watch a live stream.
Is There a Free Bruins vs Panthers Live Stream?

Read more
Warriors vs Heat live stream: Can you watch for free?
Stephen Curry holds his follow through after shooting a basketball.

Suddenly fighting for their postseason lives with a red-hot Rockets team closing in on them, the Golden State Warriors head to Miami for an important showdown against the Heat today.

The game is starting very soon, at 7:30 p.m. ET, so pick a streaming option below quickly. It will be televised locally only on NBC Sports Bay Area (Warriors markets) and Bally Sports Sun (Heat markets), but there are also a handful of different ways you can watch a free live stream of the game from anywhere in the US.
Is There a Free Warriors vs Heat Live Stream?

Read more
The 10 most popular TV shows on Netflix right now
A man and two women stand in the sand and stare.

Exploring the thousands of titles on Netflix can be both exciting and overwhelming. Content of all types abounds, from dramas and comedies to reality shows and documentaries. It's a good thing there's a list to help narrow your decision by letting you see the most popular Netflix shows. That's right, every week, Netflix releases its list of the 10 most-watched TV shows over a recent seven-day period.

The biggest arrival to this week's chart is 3 Body Problem, the first TV series for David Benioff and D. B. Weiss since Game of Thrones ended in 2019. Despite the popularity of 3 Body Problem, Dick Wolf's Homicide: New York edged out the sci-fi series for the top spot. Other new shows this week: Physical: 100 season 2, Brian Simpson: Live from the Mothership, and The Resident season 1. Below, we have listed the top 10 shows in the U.S. from March 18 to March 24, along with general information about each show, including genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.

Read more