David Fincher Exits Steve Jobs Movie
The Social Network director leaves after a financial feud with Sony.
by Max Nicholson APRIL 14, 2014
It appears we won't be getting
that Social Network reunion after all. Director
David Fincher has dropped out of Sony and writer
Aaron Sorkin's highly anticipated
Steve Jobsproject, based on Walter Isaacson's bestselling biography about the famed Apple co-founder.
According to
THR's sources, Fincher left the project after a bout with the studio over the filmmaker's "aggressive demands for compensation and control." Fincher is also reportedly seeking $10 million in up-front fees, as well as control over marketing.
This is all in negotiations with Sony, which previously allowed Fincher similar privileges on his 2011 film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. In that case, Fincher was granted his request to use "The Feel-Bad Movie of Christmas" as the film's tagline. He also allegedly commissioned metal, razor-blade-shaped one-sheets that theaters couldn't display, costing the studio hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It's possible that Fincher could rejoin the creative team, one insider mentioned, but that his fee is "ridiculous," adding, "You're not doing Transformers here. You're not doing Captain America. This is quality -- it's not screaming commerciality. He should be rewarded in success but not up front."
While it looks like Fincher is off the project for now, producer Scott Rudin (also of The Social Network) is still on-board. Meanwhile, Christian Bale was Fincher's top pick to star as Jobs, but now that the director has left, it's uncertain if Bale will join the film after all. (The actor was never officially attached.)
Sony is now looking to replace Fincher, THR reports.
David Fincher Exits Steve Jobs Movie - IGN
Sony better work this out with Fincher.