Christian Bale could be out, as David Fincher asks for too much money up front

Apr 15, 2014 09:57 GMT  ·  By

Oscar-winning actor Christian Bale may be out as the leading man in Sony’s upcoming biopic based on the life of visionary genius Steve Jobs, as the director that was said to use him may also be out.

The reason? David Fincher, the director-to-be for Sony’s movie, “is said to be seeking a hefty $10 million up front in fees, as well as control over marketing, in negotiations with the studio,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

This doesn’t sit well with the people handling the finances for the film, which is penned by Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin (best known for writing “The Social Network”).

A person familiar with the discussions says, “Fincher potentially could re-enter negotiations but that the fee he is seeking 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.’”

Fincher had reportedly wanted Christian Bale to be the star of the movie, “though the actor is not attached to the project.” Also, if Fincher is out, Bale is almost certainly out as well, sources say.

It’s certainly disappointing to hear that things aren’t moving along, as the ambitious biopic is already years in the making. As we wait for a Steve Jobs movie to paint a truly artistic picture of Jobs’ life, Apple fanatics worldwide are left with a poor rendition of the visionary genius in Mark Hulme’s (Five Star) JOBS movie starring Ashton Kutcher, which critics deemed as a flop.