David Fincher might be out for director of Sony’s upcoming Steve Jobs biopic as a report from The Hollywood Reporter claims sources close to the project say Sony is currently shopping for a replacement. The report claims Fincher is asking for “aggressive demands for compensation and control,” some of which include $10 million in upfront fees and control over marketing materials.
Sony isn’t officially commenting on the news, but if true, Fincher would be leaving behind producer Scott Rudin and writer Aaron Sorkin who are both involved in the Steve Jobs Sony film and previously teamed up with Fincher on The Social Network.
Fincher is said to be seeking a hefty $10 million up front in fees, as well as control over marketing, in negotiations with the studio. Sony allowed him considerable input into the marketing of the 2011 film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, including honoring his request to use the tagline “The Feel Bad Movie of Christmas” in its campaign. A source says Fincher also had the studio create metal, razor-blade-shaped one-sheet materials for the film that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce but were not suitable for display in theaters.
What that means for the possibility of Christian Bale playing Jobs, who was reportedly Fincher’s first choice, remains to be seen. Sony is aiming to start filming by the end of the year.
