The Aaron Sorkin-scripted Steve Jobs biopic has had a tumultuous casting process, and it's just hit another speed bump: according to The Hollywood Reporter, Christian Bale has decided against playing Jobs, despite prior reports suggesting that he was all but locked in to play the role. The Reporter says that Bale decided he was not right for the part, though it isn't stated why that is. Bale has previously adapted quite a bit in order to play challenging roles, so it's surprising to see him drop off here. Leonardo DiCaprio was previously in line to play Jobs before dropping off as well.
Filming reportedly could have begun this winter
Danny Boyle is still on board to direct the film, which the Reporter says was on track to shoot this winter. At this point, it sounds like that may be wishful thinking, as they'll need to find a new lead in what's already proven to be a difficult casting process. The production is reported to be looking at Seth Rogen to take on the role of Steve Wozniak, but there's no new suggestion as to who might replace Bale as Jobs. Previously, it was reported that Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Bradley Cooper were under consideration. Boyle will reportedly be meeting with actors this week to discuss casting.
For those keeping track, this film started off with David Fincher directing and Bale starring, moved on to Boyle directing and DiCaprio starring, switched back to Bale starring, and is now left with just Boyle as the big name. It's an unfortunate series of events, as many expect Sorkin's take on Jobs to be far more compelling than what we've seen already. Boyle, who directed 28 Days Later and Trainspotting, is still a great director to have on board, but it's becoming increasingly unclear what exactly we should expect from this movie — or when we should actually expect to see it.