Ashton Kutcher to play Steve Jobs

The resemblance was always the pitch. In April 2012, Variety reported that Ashton Kutcher \u2014 then starring in CBS's Two and a Half Men \u2014 was attached to play Steve Jobs in the independent biopic Jobs, which Joshua Michael Stern (Swing Vote) would direct from a script by Matt Whiteley.

The film aimed to trace Jobs from wayward hippie to Apple co-founder, one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of his era. Mark Hulme's Five Star Institute was financing and producing, with production scheduled to start in May, during Kutcher's hiatus from his CBS series.

Kutcher was an unconventional choice \u2014 best known for comedy \u2014 but he had shown dramatic range in Spread and the historical drama Bobby, and he bore an uncanny physical resemblance to the young Jobs. He would go on to treat the role with visible seriousness, meeting Jobs's friends and colleagues to study his voice and manner.

Sony Pictures, meanwhile, was developing its own rival Jobs film, based on Walter Isaacson's bestselling authorized biography \u2014 with Aaron Sorkin writing the screenplay.

What happened since: The indie film premiered as jOBS at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013, then opened theatrically in August 2013, with Kutcher's performance generally praised even as the film itself drew mixed reviews. Sony's separate project became the 2015 film Steve Jobs.

Based on Variety's original April 2012 casting report.

The King of Twitter is now the King of Apple, as "Two and a Half Men" star Ashton Kutcher is attached to play Steve Jobs in the indie pic "Jobs," which Joshua Michael Stern ("Swing Vote") will direct from a script by Matt Whiteley.

The film will chronicle Steve Jobs from wayward hippie to co-founder of Apple, where he became one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of our time.

Five Star Institute's Mark Hulme is financing and will produce the pic, which is skedded to start production in May while Kutcher is on hiatus from his hit CBS series.

CAA, which reps both Kutcher and Stern, will represent the pic's domestic distribution rights.

While Kutcher was last seen in Garry Marshall's ensemble pic "New Year's Eve" and the romantic comedy "No Strings Attached," he earned strong notices for his more serious turns in David Mackenzie's sex dramedy "Spread" and Emilio Estevez's historical drama "Bobby."

Stern, who made his helming debut with the 2005 Aaron Eckhart vehicle "Neverwas," previously directed Disney's 2008 election comedy "Swing Vote," toplined by Kutcher's "The Guardian" co-star Kevin Costner. Helmer is also attached to direct Stone Village's "Carnaval," an R-rated comedy that pairs John Cusack with fellow CAA client Johnny Knoxville.

In addition to both CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern, Kutcher and Stern are respectively repped by Untitled Entertainment and 3 Arts Entertainment.

Sony Pictures is currently developing its own Steve Jobs pic, based on the bestselling book by Walter Isaacson.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118052143