[psmith2.0]

Christian Bale in talks to star as Steve Jobs in some biopic people care less about with each passing month (based primarily on a book most people didn't give two rips about when it was originally released).

After his little blowup at the lighting guy a few years ago, it's probably a safe bet he's got the temper/a-hole part of the role nailed...

Personally, I don't really see any strong resemblance (other than two really lousy beards). Is this really the best they can do? There's nothing in the eyes, chin/jawline and mouth (which is where people "look like themselves" and carry their most distinguishing characteristics) that even remotely makes Bale look like Jobs. Giving him a silvering buzz-cut, some glasses and a black turtleneck probably won't sell it.

I know these guys didn't want to be doing this as Jobs was dying, just so they could exploit his eventual death with a "we're first!" biopic. That would've felt wrong and creepy. However, at three-plus years after-the-fact, I think they might've erred too far to the other side.

I could see more people being interested if this was 2012, striking while the iron was at least lukewarm-to-medium hot?

I don't know. It just seems like a story that's been told a few times, good and not-so-good, in cinematic form. Is there anything really left to say?

I'm an Apple guy - as biased and cheerlead-y as they come (proudly so, and with zero apologies) - and even I don't give a shit about any of this. You gotta figure the average schmo on the street who knows/cares even less about Apple isn't going to line up in any appreciable numbers to see such a thing either.

I am, however, looking forward to the scene where Bale/Jobs/iBatman storms into a meeting, and, upon not seeing the latest prototype he was promised, punches the nearest employee and bellows "where is it?!?". Probably plays a little better than him asking Ive, after seeing the Bondi iMac, "does it come in black?"








Yes, my sole point of reference for Christian Bale is Batman...

[drewprops]

Look at what he did for The Mechanic.



...

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, he tried to outdo De Niro. It's gonna catch up to him someday, I'm afraid. That was insane. His body will want revenge one day.

He still doesn't look like Jobs.

I still think Ralph Fiennes - or even Ben Kingsley - has a stronger resemblance. Kingsley's nose may be too prominent/bulbous (and, at 70, he's probably much too old to convincingly pull off a 40/50-something). But still...Christian Bale? I've even seen pics of Stanley Tucci where he resembles Jobs (but he's kinda short). They can always go with an unknown who really nails it. People say "you need a big name", but on a project like this where no "big name" in the world is going to matter enough to pull in the masses, you may as well try harder for resemblance (even if it means not going with one of the usual 15-20 guys who get cast in everything ever made).

This sort of movie isn't big-budget/high profile, and would work better as a smaller, less expensive indie type of thing anyway.

But all this doesn't override the fact that it's a movie that probably doesn't need to be made at this point. And if it does, then I think the powers-that-be should accept that it's a limited-appeal thing, and not to sink a ton of money into it (which, in turn, frees them up to be a little more imaginative and creative with casting).

[addabox]

Hmmm,



Prosthetic to thicken the bridge of the nose, reshape eyebrows, mouth is about right, general face shape's OK. Bale's face is a little longer and his eyes a little more hooded, but, you know, makeup. As far as older Jobs goes, he certainly is capable of doing the extreme weight loss thing, recede his hairline, give him the stubbly grey beard.... I think he would be fairly credible, physically. Maybe not a dead ringer, but how often do you get that with a biopic? You just want close enough to not be distracting.

But I think he's perfect as an actor. That total focus intensity thing (which makes him a dick in real life, just like Jobs), selling the idea that he thinks of himself as the smartest guy in the room, arrogant but not vain... yeah, I could really see it. Now, how much anyone is actually interested in Jobs' life, at this point, and the chances of this getting made, that's another matter. I wish David Fincher was still attached to a Jobs movie. I think he could really get some interesting shades out of the story of his life.

BTW, I'm assuming a biopic would want to cover more than the latter years, hence my choice of comparison photos. Seems like the story arc would have to do with the brash young man slowly developing into the cagey guru, and then a man with limited time learning to slow down a little and relish the day.

[psmith2.0]

I can't keep them straight...there were three at one point. One already happened, but are there actually two remaining (this Bale one and another), or was the third an online/web sort of thing? I remember in the months after his death, there were so many projects floating around/talked about.

I just don't know if the genuine interest is there at this point. And I'd hate for it to get made, and then flop. Or just to stir up people lashing out and taking potshots (real ones, not the stupid ones I make). You don't want to harm or do disservice to the subject. Again, if this was 2012 and it was all just a year away, it might grab folks more.

Then again, they're still making Lennon bios decades after the events depicted. But I think music is a little more universal and far-reaching. Despite all Jobs was part of, I don't think the average person on the streets thinks of him as they do rock 'n' roll royalty.

The way I hear it, this Sorkin project is divided up into three 30-minute segments prior to the launch of an important piece of gear. Who, besides us, gives a shit?

I still think something like this, instead of a limited-appeal two-hour theatrical movie, is better handled in a multi-part series on cable (or even Netflix). Something on AMC or the History Channel or whatever. Tell this story in 6-8 hours (in digestible, focused one-hour chunks), vs. trying to cram 50+ years (and all that he did and was part of) into two hours or less. That's my big complaint about biopics...they're essentially all the same in tone/approach. They hit all the high-points, they distort/compress time, have to create composite characters to represent 2-3 real life people, etc. It just always feels like a put-on. Or The Little Golden Book of... approach, where it's so stripped-down/compressed that, ultimately, it means very little.

I honestly can't tell you a thing about Ray or Walk the Line, and I remember enjoying both when I saw them.

But if you took the multi-part cable approach, you could really delve into some things...a bit more childhood/family and teens/college years, the first go-around at Apple, the firing (and the NeXT and Pixar stuff), the return to Apple and the iEra, then the final years. I just think all that hits harder, and means more, if you're not short-changing all the earlier major events, and you're giving them some weight and a true story. I'm actually surprised some folks in Hollywood haven't considered this. His story spans multiple decades (like a lot of famous musicians or other people we see biopics about), with pretty big milestones and high-points in each...

I guess it's harder to get backing/interest for a sprawling 6-8 episode thing (with period sets, wardrobe, props, etc.) than a single two-hour movie.

But I know which one I'd rather see.

[addabox]

That's why I regret the loss of Fincher as director (apparently his demands for up front compensation and control over marketing sent Sony screaming the other way).

I'm particularly thinking of The Social Network as a great example of how this kind of material can be approached. Jobs didn't seem to be much like Zuckerberg, but his story is vastly richer.

I can understand a serious minded writer or director not wanting to do the full biopic thing, cradle to grave, because that inevitably turns into a kind of greatest hits series of vignettes (Jobs meets Woz! Jobs tours Xerox PARC, has epiphany! Jobs introduces the Mac! Gets fired! Comes back! iPod! iPhone!..... you know the drill). So it doesn't surprise me that we've heard about treatments that focus in on relatively narrow sections of his life. You can tell a deeper story that way, because you don't have to burn all your running time going through the chapters.

[addabox]

Outstanding thread title, BTW.

[psmith2.0]

Well, looks like it's official.

Despite Bale's presence, I just can't imagine how this will appeal to the masses at this point. The studio's marketing/PR crew have their work cut out for them, I think.

Aaron Sorkin, huh? Lots of walking down halls of Apple HQ, with multiple characters engaging in snappy repartee and talking over one another while occasionally saying something they think is truly profound, I guess?

Hope we get at least one tantrum/a-hole scene (they picked the right actor) to help keep the worship/fawning in check.

Well, let's have fun with additional casting (assuming it won't be a Bale one-man-show)...Cook, Ive, Gates, etc.

Tim Cook: Matthew Modine
Jony Ive: Jason Statham j/k
Bill Gates: Eric Stoltz

[Ryan]

I thought Sorkin's pic was going to be the one that covered three Jobs keynotes in real-time? Probably not very West Wing.

Plus, the walk-and-talk was Thomas Schlamme, not Sorkin.

Fun fact: my boss was hired by Fincher for the software effects sequences for The Social Network, those were his hands on the keyboard when Zuckerberg was coding and he was the one who made the coding jargon realistic.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by Ryan I thought Sorkin's pic was going to be the one that covered three Jobs keynotes in real-time? Probably not very West Wing.

Well now that they have a proper star, they might wanna spice it up! Some fighting, maybe a car chase around Cupertino, blow up a hospital, etc.

Plus, the walk-and-talk was Thomas Schlamme, not Sorkin.

I'll always associate Sorkin with that stuff.

The presence of Bale might help draw folks in who'd otherwise not care about such a movie. And The Social Network proved you could do some geek/tech-oriented story without a big A-list cast or mainstream appeal. This thing could go that way, if they do it right.

But it's a tall order. I still think a serialized cable or Netflix thing is a safer bet for such a subject.

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Well now that they have a proper star, they might wanna spice it up! Some fighting, maybe a car chase around Cupertino, blow up a hospital, etc. I'll always associate Sorkin with that stuff. The presence of Bale might help draw folks in who'd otherwise not care about such a movie. And The Social Network proved you could do some geek/tech-oriented story without a big A-list cast or mainstream appeal. This thing could go that way, if they do it right. But it's a tall order. I still think a serialized cable or Netflix thing is a safer bet for such a subject.

I don't think so.

Apple is the biggest company in the world, the most well known and well regarded brand, and Jobs is our generation's (and our parent's generation's) biggest visionary/inventor/businessman.

A dramatic movie about his life a few years after his death has all sorts of potential to be a huge hit. It just has to be good.

I'm not convinced it will be good, but I am impressed with the studio's willingness to take a chance on such a non traditional format... 3 30 minute stories.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses I don't think so. Apple is the biggest company in the world, the most well known and well regarded brand, and Jobs is our generation's (and our parent's generation's) biggest visionary/inventor/businessman. A dramatic movie about his life a few years after his death has all sorts of potential to be a huge hit. It just has to be good.

Well of course. That's what I said above...they could wind up with a Social Network type of thing, if they do it right. That came out of nowhere and was well-received, won some awards and all without explosions and an expensive A-list cast. Stuff like this, on balance, is just a harder sell to mainstream audiences, that's all. Word-of-mouth and slowly building steam is usually where movies like this find their place. That's also why I said the marketing/PR crew will have a job to do...and if they do that part of things right, it'll drum up interest.

I'm fully aware of Apple's place and importance (and Jobs' role in all that). But I'm speaking about people who don't hang out at places like this, or get into all this as much as those of us here might.

That's where Bale's involvement and some good marketing can make the difference. They'll have to reach out for those "eh...it's just a phone, FFS..." folks and put together a compelling trailer and campaign to make all those casual iPhone and iPad owners perk up and take note (and then, if the movie itself is good and enjoyable, the positive word-of-mouth will kick in...and that's usually better than any advertising you can buy).

I could see it going either way, honestly.

I am interested to see how they do that proposed structure. It might be the needed "hook" of this thing...different enough to be interesting and a way to do a movie without a straight, expected "A-to-B" structure.

Also, I amend my initial statement a bit about Bale's resemblance to Jobs. I found this pic online earlier and it's the first one I've seen that makes me believe, with the right hair/makeup/wardrobe work, he could do a passable job:

[psmith2.0]

Well, it seems even Bale himself didn't think he was right for the role. Oops.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/03/...er-steve-jobs/

[Partial]

"Not right for the role" = money in my opinion.

Why are they cheaping out? Bale is the best actor in the world aside from DDL. Pony up. David Fincher would do a great job too. Just look at what he did with The Social Network. Both would be oustanding in my opinion and they made errors not paying them enough to secure their services.

[psmith2.0]

Well they couldn't get Batman, so maybe they'll land Magneto?

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/04/...er-steve-jobs/

I guess Henry Cavill or Hugh Jackman's next if this one doesn't take?

Eh, I still maintain this a movie nobody's really begging for, based partly on a weak bio, etc. I truly believe the overall timing and genuine "give a shit" factor is off. It wouldn't surprise me if the thing just grinds to a halt at some point. Seems they'd be much farther along in all this by now, don't you think?

Hell's bells, they've already wrapped principal filming on Episode VII...how hard is to get an FX-free CEO/tech/pop culture icon biopic off the ground, three-plus years after his passing? NASA missions have probably been planned and launched in less time.

[addabox]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Well they couldn't get Batman, so maybe they'll land Magneto? http://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/04/...er-steve-jobs/ I guess Henry Cavill or Hugh Jackman's next if this one doesn't take? Eh, I still maintain this a movie nobody's really begging for, based partly on a weak bio, etc. I truly believe the overall timing and genuine "give a shit" factor is off. It wouldn't surprise me if the thing just grinds to a halt at some point. Seems they'd be much farther along in all this by now, don't you think? Hell's bells, they've already wrapped principal filming on Episode VII...how hard is to get an FX-free CEO/tech/pop culture icon biopic off the ground, three-plus years after his passing? NASA missions have probably been planned and launched in less time.

Depends on the script. If it's about more than Jobs, if it's about, say, the American experience of success, and what that does to people, or I guess who they have to be to get there, or our messianic reverence of technology and the tendency to imagine better engineering solves all of life's problems, etc., then Jobs himself isn't a limitation, he's a taking off point. His life can tell us something about our culture and ourselves and the way we live and the things we desire. That's why I was so sorry to see Fincher go, because he can clearly shape "biopic" material into a larger meditation on just those themes.

If they can't get a really interesting director that can do something more than illustrate some high points in the guy's life (again, the script may help here but it won't matter if the director is just trying to get from point A to point B) I think Jobs' story would be better served by waiting a while. I mean like 10 years or more, to the point where we have some distance from his personality and the story can also be about a time and a place and a culture.

[psmith2.0]

I agree. This is one of those "strike while it's hot" things, IMO (no later than 2012 would've been good), or go ahead and wait a bit and let time do its thing and provide a bit more perspective, and allows you to paint a larger "...and it all led to this/this is the world he helped build and left behind" type of picture.

We're just in that weird middle-ground where it's been too long to feel current/relevant, but too soon to be legendary.

It's not going to happen anytime too soon because they've yet to work their way around to Benedict Cabbagepatch. And you know that's coming!

[709]

Agreed x2. I always thought the Kutcher thing was in bad taste because it hadn't been long enough (in my mind, ymmv). I feel the same way about this one. Give it a decade or so, ffs. It's not like he left us and then we were all "Whelp, that's it. He had a good run, RIP." Jobs is in the public psyche every fucking day thanks to tech "journos" that can't help themselves or are too dumb to compare Cook against anything else.

10 years down the line, revisit the story, maybe get that Adam Driver guy after he finishes Star Wars and puts some age on.

[psmith2.0]

I think they should just give it up.