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Leonardo DiCaprio drops out of Steve Jobs role in Aaron Sorkin biopic, Sony considering new leads

DiCaprio and Boyle on the set of the 2000 film "The Beach"

DiCaprio and Boyle on the set of the 2000 film “The Beach”

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has decided not to play Steve Jobs in the upcoming Danny Boyle-directed biopic after all, according to the Hollywood Reporter. DiCaprio was first reported as being considered for the role back in April, with Slumdog Millionaire‘s Danny Boyle set to direct.

The Aaron Sorkin-penned film has been in development for years now and will reportedly depict the thirty minutes prior to three of Apple’s most important keynotes from Jobs’s perspective. David Fincher, who was in talks to direct the movie before Boyle, said in March that Christian Bale would have been his first choice to play the Apple co-founder, though both ended up being rejected by Sony.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that several other actors are being considered for the role, including Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Bradley Cooper. Jobs was previously portrayed by Ashton Kutcher in 2013.

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Comments

  1. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    That’s a shame. Maybe they can talk Christian Bale into it.

    Leo is a great actor, but he doesn’t impersonate people well.

  2. lcfbill - 9 years ago

    Wonderful actor. Physically not ideal for this role.

  3. Sony just wants Ben Affleck to become to poster boy for their films because of his contract with them. The “new” Tom Cruse of Sony. Thats the main reason he is the new Batman.

  4. Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 9 years ago

    Surely it was just a joke that DiCaprio was going to play him in the first place. Leo is famous for playing historical figures that he looks nothing like, but him trying to play Steve Jobs is just a ridiculous idea.

    On the other hand, everything I’ve heard about this picture is bad news so the idea of him being in it might fit rather well with that. It certainly makes it seem like they don’t know what they are doing to even consider DiCaprio for the role.

  5. Trevor A Green - 9 years ago

    Ben Affleck, he can play any role, just have to rewrite it to be about Ben Affleck, like the new Batman film. He should also take over as the new Mrs. Doubtfire so we can all be told to like him even more. At least as Steve Jobs he could nail being unlikable.

  6. With any luck, Danny Boyle will pull out next. I love Boyle, but I can’t stand Sorkin’s stuff.

    • Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 9 years ago

      I too don’t like Sorkin. His stuff is consistently and completely over-rated IMO. The whole concept for the movie sounds ridiculous to me (only three scenes, each playing out in real time and all of them at Apple events). I mean WTF? It sounds “arty” but it won’t be popular.

      As much as I can’t stand Ashton Kuchner, the “Jobs” movie he did was basically pretty good and exactly the kind of thing people want to see when it comes to a biopic. Sorkin’s movie sounds like it might do well at a film festival, but I can’t see how it will be anything people actually want to go and see.

      Also, it’s too f*cking late! Three years have passed. Jobs just isn’t that revered by enough people for anyone to flock to the movie theatres for this “art piece” now.

      • gen0music - 9 years ago

        I would disagree with your last comment. Jobs is definitely revered enough, especially considering that Apple have barely done anything innovative since.

  7. herb02135go - 9 years ago

    Jobs is dead. Gone.
    Let him rest.
    Stop trying to fleece the sheep – they need their parent’s money for Apple’s next ripoff of Samsung.

    • Herb, I’m seriously considering you’re not a real person, but a Samsung-bot spamming forums.

      • Tim Farris - 9 years ago

        if your replying to me I’m no bot because i can reply to your shity comments about hating apple

      • Sure, you’re more than welcome to write Apple-hate all you want. Its your time&energy, but no-one gives a shit :)
        Perhaps you’re better acquainted to troll the Samsung forums.

    • Tim Farris - 9 years ago

      samsung s5 sucks #bendgate

    • Andrew John - 9 years ago

      Well most of the tech industry would disagree with considering samescum have ripped off almost every company in the industry. Pioneer, Sony, Nokia, Microsoft, Kodak, Sharp, NEC, Apple, and now Dyson. My question is, who won’t they steal from?

  8. Tim Farris - 9 years ago

    they need Arnold Schwarzenegger play him lol or how about Bill gates lol jk but really use the best guy for the job not some nock off (ahem android ahem)

  9. Honestly they need some “unknown” that looks more like Jobs. Not a guy who is as well known as Damon, Affleck or Cooper. That’s the problem with Hollywood. They use the same actors so much, you can’t see them as anyone else. Just because they are well known and popular, doesn’t mean they will be good as someone they look nothing like. Bale isn’t the right guy either. If Kutcher could be anyone but Michael Kelso, he would be good. He definitely looks the part, but has no character range.

  10. krikaoli - 9 years ago

    Noah Wyle was perfect at his Steve Jobs rule, maybe he could repeat his great performance.