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Aaron Sorkin: Steve Jobs movie will be centered around launches of Mac, NeXT, and iPod

Aaron Sorkin: Steve Jobs movie will be centered around launches of Mac, NeXT, and iPod

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Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs

Aaron Sorkin has thus far said relatively little about the Steve Jobs biopic he's writing for Sony Pictures. But the acclaimed screenwriter finally let some details slip today at The Hero Summit, an event presented by Newsweek and The Daily Beast. During an interview, Sorkin revealed that the movie will be comprised of three, 30-minute sections that each take place backstage in the moments immediately preceding some of Jobs' most iconic keynotes.

"This entire movie is going to be three scenes and three scenes only that all take place in realtime," Sorkin said. "A half hour for you in the audience is the same as a half hour to a character on the screen." The three presentations that will serve as backdrops in the film will be the original Macintosh, the debut of NeXT, and the first-ever iPod reveal in 2001. That covers a decent chunk of Jobs' career, though it also omits many of Apple's later accomplishments including the iPhone and iPad. Still, Sorkin says he chose the timeframe intentionally, with the classic "Think Different" commercial serving as a potential end point for the film.

Neither Sony nor Sorkin have yet revealed who will portray Jobs — Ashton Kutcher will depict the late tech luminary in a smaller, independent picture set for release this fall. Though they weren't friends, Jobs is believed to have held Aaron Sorkin in high regard, sometimes calling him to complement his work. Sorkin revealed the last time the two spoke, Jobs asked him to scribe a Pixar movie. "I didn't think I'd be able to make an inanimate object talk," Sorkin said. Jobs replied, "once you make them talk, they won't be inanimate anymore." The entire interview can be seen below, with the Jobs discussion starting around the 22-minute mark.