David Fincher has reportedly dropped out of the Aaron Sorkin-scripted Steve Jobs biopic he was supposed to direct, after Sony failed to meet his demands for salary and control. Which of course is great news for those of us who love David Fincher but hate biopics and find Aaron Sorkin increasingly insufferable.
Sony Pictures is looking to replace David Fincher as director of its highly anticipated Steve Jobs movie due to his aggressive demands for compensation and control, according to several sources.
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. […]
A source with ties to the studio 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.” [TheHollywoodReporter]
Haha, expecting to be rewarded for quality work? What an asshole. Welcome to Hollywood, stupid, here you only get paid for movies about toys.