While the drama off-screen continues when it comes to the Aaron Sorkin-written, Danny Boyle-directed Steve Jobs biopic, we all know there is still work to be done. As it stands now, Universal has the rights to the movie starring Michael Fassbender as Jobs and Seth Rogen as Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak. Now another name is being looked at and it’s someone who is no stranger to the Sorkin name. Jeff Daniels, who will take his final bow as Will McAvoy on the Sorkin created HBO’s series The Newsroom, is being tapped to play former Apple CEO John Sculley.
The Wrap goes on to say in their report that Daniels does not have an official offer yet, he is expected to receive one soon, as he’s considered Boyle’s top choice for the key supporting role. For history buffs, you might already know that Sculley was the CEO of Apple from 1983 to 1993 and, in that time, sales at the company increased from $800 million to $8 billion; he was a marketing machine. This of course lead to the power struggle between Sculley and Jobs; it’s too early to tell if that struggle for power will be told at all in the movie considering the style it will be taking (the film is divided into three parts centered around three of his major keynote speeches).
I still don’t know what to think about this project; part of me wishes it was a true biopic on Steve Jobs, while another part of me realizes I could just visit his Wikipedia page if I wanted that. After years of the same formulaic biographical movies, maybe this one will in fact offer something completely different for the genre and usher in a new way of thinking for all those creative minds looking to bring someone’s life to the big screen.
What do you think of Jeff Daniels casting? Do you have a favorite biopic?