Like it or not, Ashton Kutcher will be stepping into the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ shoes (and sandals) for an independent feature film based on the maverick’s life. As it turns out, the movie is on the fast track in the hopes of getting a release later this year.
AppleInsider is reporting that the unofficial Steve Jobs biopic now entitled Jobs: Get Inspired appears locked to begin shooting in May, with the intention of releasing it by year’s end. News of the indie flick spread like wildfire when it was first announced on April Fool’s Day with Ashton Kutcher taking on the role of the title character.
The film’s producer is none other than Mark Hulme, a veteran of his own self-described “publishing, marketing, communications and conference production company,” according to Neowin.net. The Steve Jobs project marks the producer’s first effort in the motion picture industry, but Hulme appears quite confident in his choice of leading man.
“Since our film covers the early years of Apple, when Jobs was in his 20's, we needed an actor who could carry not only the youthfulness of Jobs at the time but also the psychological complexity,” Hulme explains. “Because of that, and Ashton's physical similarities to Jobs, he's perfect for our film.”
If that sounds familiar, it’s because the same territory was largely covered on film once before, with the 1999 TV movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. Hulme reveals that, indeed, his film will cover Jobs’ life from 1971 to 2000, presumably avoiding his final act altogether.
“The concept itself is so strong and the timing so right that we found ready interest,” Hulme says confidently of the project. “And when key people in the industry read the script and liked it momentum really built. People like a winning concept and well-told story.”
And what about the controversial casting decision?
“When Ashton read the script he was immediately attracted to the project,” the producer concludes. “He is a Steve Jobs and Apple fan, and is technologically savvy, as well, so he recognized the historical importance of Steve Jobs and the potential of the project. He is very excited to have the role.”
Hulme says, “distribution deals are in the works, but we can’t release specifics yet” -- which is usually Hollywood code for “We’re going into this blindly and hoping for the best.” A fourth-quarter release seems optimistic at best, so we wouldn’t start popping the popcorn quite yet…
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