The land rush for Steve Jobs biopics may be at an end – Steve Jobs, the latest Oscar-bait contender for telling the story of the man who chained us to smartphones, has been pulled from more than 2,000 US theatres.
This is not as a result of pressure from Jobs’ window, Laurene Powell Jobs, or Apple CEO Tim Cook. Word has been going around that both tried to stop the movie from happening after the biographical book of the same name got their noses in a twist. It is rumoured that Leonardo di Caprio even waved the project after Powell Jobs asked him to do so. Cook had publicly criticized the movie, resulting in a brief war of words where Cook called screenwriter Aaron Sorkin opportunistic and Sorkin accused Cook of using child labour.
But the real reason is that the movie has been a dreadful flop. Thus far it earned just over $16 million – about half its production budget. That is the same as the Ashton Kutcher film, Jobs, but his version was made for around $14 million.
Critics agreed that Steve Jobs, directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours), written by the Emmy winning Sorkin (The West Wing, The Newsroom) and starring Oscar-worthy performances by Michael Fassbender and Seth Rogen, was much better. Some hoped it would repeat the success of The Social Network, another biopic penned by Sorkin. Even early limited-release buzz said Steve Jobs would do well. Alas, it didn’t and Universal is pulling the plug.
Now speculation is rife on how this will impact the movie’s Oscar chances. Being someone who wouldn’t pee on the Academy Awards if it was on fire while holding my wallet, I don’t care. But this is sure to make for some easy writing among Oscar enthusiasts come January – or whenever they announce the nominees. Like I said, really don’t care.
Anyway, so Steve Jobs has flopped, probably because by now all the fervour around the man has died down. Besides, the best movie about Jobs, in my opinion, remains Pirates of Silicon Valley.
Last Updated: November 10, 2015
The Sten
November 10, 2015 at 11:50
I’d watch Michael Bay movies before I watch any of these Oscar bait biopics.
The only one I ever enjoyed was Moneyball.
James Francis
November 10, 2015 at 12:27
Yeah, most are just selective fact with a lot of fiction thrown in.
Skyblue
November 10, 2015 at 20:09
Agreed, including Moneyball
Skyblue
November 10, 2015 at 20:08
“Being someone who wouldn’t pee on the Academy Awards if it was on fire while holding my wallet, I don’t care.” was almost as good as “Anyway, so Steve Jobs has flopped, probably because by now all the fervour around the man has died down”… almost
Bless you Mr Francis
James Francis
November 11, 2015 at 16:19
Thank you – once in a while I get a good one out 🙂
WhiteRock
November 11, 2015 at 08:50
“Jobs’ window”…?
Geoffrey Tim
November 11, 2015 at 10:50
She’s open and transparent.
^_^
RinceThis
November 11, 2015 at 13:55
lol