Broadway star in talks to play Steve Wozniak in indie Steve Jobs biopic
Josh Gad, the star of the Broadway musical "Book of Mormon," is in talks for a role as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in an independent biopic about Steve Jobs and Apple, according to a new report.
Hollywood Reporter claimed to have confirmed on Thursday that Gad was "circling" the role for the film, which is currently titled "Jobs." If accurate, he would act across from Ashton Kutcher, who has been tapped to play Jobs.
Joshua Michael Stern is set to direct the film, while Mark Hulme is on board as producer. Filming for the project is expected to begin next month in preparation for theatrical release in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Hulme has previously said that the film will cover the years between 1971 and 2000, enough to portray Jobs' youth, the founding of Apple, his ousting and then return.
Wozniak is largely considered the engineering genius behind Apple's products. He left the company in 1985 and currently serves as the Chief Scientist at Fusion-IO. When asked last year, Wozniak said he'd be open to returning to a more active role at Apple if asked.
"There's just an awful lot I know about Apple products and competing products that has some relevance, some meaning. They're my own feelings, though," he said.
Left: Actor Josh Gad (Credit: Getty Images) Right: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak
Hollywood Reporter claimed to have confirmed on Thursday that Gad was "circling" the role for the film, which is currently titled "Jobs." If accurate, he would act across from Ashton Kutcher, who has been tapped to play Jobs.
Joshua Michael Stern is set to direct the film, while Mark Hulme is on board as producer. Filming for the project is expected to begin next month in preparation for theatrical release in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Hulme has previously said that the film will cover the years between 1971 and 2000, enough to portray Jobs' youth, the founding of Apple, his ousting and then return.
Wozniak is largely considered the engineering genius behind Apple's products. He left the company in 1985 and currently serves as the Chief Scientist at Fusion-IO. When asked last year, Wozniak said he'd be open to returning to a more active role at Apple if asked.
"There's just an awful lot I know about Apple products and competing products that has some relevance, some meaning. They're my own feelings, though," he said.
Left: Actor Josh Gad (Credit: Getty Images) Right: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak
Comments
Wasn't Steve Wozniak thinner when he was younger though?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
When asked last year, Wozniak said he'd be open to returning to a more active role at Apple if asked.
"There's just an awful lot I know about Apple products and competing products that has some relevance, some meaning. They're my own feelings, though," he said.
What an ego. Wozniak has absolutely nothing to add to Apple of today. He's a has-been who never outgrew his hippie radical days.
I guess just about anything is considered worthy of becoming a story on this website now.
Book of Jobs?
ooh! i wanna see it then. i don't know why but that picture makes me laugh. i'm sorry
The final nail in the coffin.
The second biggest role in the film given to a relatively unknown actor, with a so-so resume, who has Freddie Prinze Junior as his biggest previous work colleague.
Any and all chance of this being even half decent:
Terminated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
What an ego. Wozniak has absolutely nothing to add to Apple of today. He's a has-been who never outgrew his hippie radical days.
I think you might be the one with a big ego. While his technological expertise might not be relevant to today's Apple, he could most decidedly serve in a mentorship and a "rally the troops" mode. He also might be one who could return parts of Apple to more of an entrepreneurial way of working as it evolves to the regiment of a giant business, which can kill creativity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMHut
Book of Jobs?
Love it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTR
And there it is.
The final nail in the coffin.
The second biggest role in the film given to a relatively unknown actor, with a so-so resume, who has Freddie Prinze Junior as his biggest previous work colleague.
Any and all chance of this being even half decent:
Terminated.
I would disagree. The problem with using known actors playing "real" people is that we usually don't see the people that they're supposed to be playing. We see the actor. I can think only of a few exceptions to that, one of them being Jim Carrey playing Andy Kaufman in "Man on the Moon" and another with Ben Kingsley playing Ghandi. "The Book of Mormon" has been acclaimed and his association with that is enough for me. Besides, I don't think it's that hard a role. I think you just have to display a certain amount of "Teddy-Bear" intensity, a bit of hyperactivity, a pride about technical accomplishments and emotions when Jobs screws you.
The reality is that almost all screen bios suck because how much of a person's life can one cover in two hours?
Actually he's pretty great in Book of Mormon. I'm psyched he's playing Woz.
Got donuts?
Quote:
Left: Actor Josh Gad (Credit: Getty Images) Right: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoetmb
I think you might be the one with a big ego. While his technological expertise might not be relevant to today's Apple, he could most decidedly serve in a mentorship and a "rally the troops" mode. He also might be one who could return parts of Apple to more of an entrepreneurial way of working as it evolves to the regiment of a giant business, which can kill creativity.
Apple doesn't think so - or they would have hired him back. I would guess that they know more about his capabilities and their needs than you do.
Actually, by the time this thing gets released, Josh Gad will likely have a much higher profile. He co-created and stars in a pilot in contention for the fall that has a very good shot at getting picked up, and he's done a few series before this, too. Seems like he could be a good choice.
yes. he is a real dummy. steve jobs would have ended up peddling used cars or something if not for Woz, while Woz could have easily lived out his life as an engineer at HP or anywhere else.
Like you had or will ever have any chance of doing 1/10th of the technical things woz accomplished in his life. you are laughable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMHut
Book of Jobs?
Would be even better if written by Matt and Trey.
Quote:
Originally Posted by screamingfist
yes. he is a real dummy. steve jobs would have ended up peddling used cars or something if not for Woz, while Woz could have easily lived out his life as an engineer at HP or anywhere else.
Like you had or will ever have any chance of doing 1/10th of the technical things woz accomplished in his life. you are laughable.
No one ever said that Wozniak never did anything useful. He was a very valuable part of the original Apple.
But his skills are totally irrelevant today - and Apple apparently agrees. What part of that don't you understand?
I dunno. Steve was more than a salesman. If he didn't partner with Woz, it would have been another engineer. Being kicked out of Apple and succeeding elsewhere (Pixar), proved that Jobs was not just a one trick pony.
Quote:
Originally Posted by screamingfist
yes. he is a real dummy. steve jobs would have ended up peddling used cars or something if not for Woz, while Woz could have easily lived out his life as an engineer at HP or anywhere else.
Like you had or will ever have any chance of doing 1/10th of the technical things woz accomplished in his life. you are laughable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by uguysrnuts
I dunno. Steve was more than a salesman.
Indeed. He often was a royal PITA for his coworkers! More than once has he been compared to a slavedriver. He easily flew off the handle. His temper tantrums were legendary in Cupertino. You wouldn't want to have been around when he had one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlvarezLuis
Indeed. He often was a royal PITA for his coworkers! More than once has he been compared to a slavedriver. He easily flew off the handle. His temper tantrums were legendary in Cupertino. You wouldn't want to have been around when he had one.
Well, someone read the biography.
Unfortunately it seems that's the only thing someone read.
It was a post to elicit a counterpost. Should we expect anything less?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Well, someone read the biography.
Unfortunately it seems that's the only thing someone read.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMHut
Book of Jobs?
I've secretly held out hope that Trey Parker and Matt Stone would do a musical version of the Steve Jobs story. Someday.
Quote:
Originally Posted by screamingfist
yes. he is a real dummy. steve jobs would have ended up peddling used cars or something if not for Woz, while Woz could have easily lived out his life as an engineer at HP or anywhere else.
Like you had or will ever have any chance of doing 1/10th of the technical things woz accomplished in his life. you are laughable.
The Woz who never met Steve Jobs and never made millions from co-founding Apple finds your "life as an HP engineer" fantasy laughable.