Ashton Kucher’s ‘jOBS’ Biopic Picked Up For Distribution, Set For April Release

There was quite the positive response that came out of the first released image as Ashton Kutcher as Apple pioneer Steve Jobs. jOBS, which filmed over the spring, is said to be a positive dramatic turn for Kutcher, which we haven’t seen since his effort in 2003’s The Butterfly Effect.

Now that jOBS has been set in a prime spot to close Sundance Film Festival for its premiere, Open Road Films has managed to snag the distribution rights to the film as well. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Insiders describe it as a ‘rent-a-system’ deal, where the producers commit to pay for the marketing of the film.”

Quick interest in Kutcher’s turn as Steve Jobs is good news for the actor, who isn’t exactly hurting financially from his gig on Two And A Half Men but hasn’t succeeded in wowing critics over his two-decade long career. According to costar, Josh Gad that’s all about the change. Gad told a few outlets recently about Kutcher’s performance:

“Ashton is going to blow a lot of people away. His performance was absolutely transformational. If he looked any more like Steve Jobs, I think it would just confuse a lot of people in thinking Steve Jobs never passed away. It’s that uncanny.”

Although at the time the news hit the web about Open Road Films’ involvement, they declined to comment about the new venture. However, Cinema Blend has confirmed that Open Road Films will put Kutcher’s version of Steve Jobs ahead, over Aaron Sorkin’s new take, with an April release date after its premiere at Sundance.

Sorkin’s version will be based on Walter Isaacson’s biography, while jOBS focuses on the earlier life and career of the genius, which is said to be an “unprecedented access during shooting to the historic garage in Palo Alto, that served as the birthplace to Apple Inc.”

Here’s the description of the synopsis for jOBS:

“Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, written by Matthew Whitely, shot by Oscar- winning cinematographer Russell Carpenter and produced by Mark Hulme, jOBS details the major moments and defining characters that influenced Steve Jobs on a daily basis from 1971 through 2000. jOBS plunges into the depths of his character, creating an intense dialogue-driven story that is as much a sweeping epic as it is an immensely personal portrait of Steve Jobs’ life. The filmmakers were granted unprecedented access during shooting to the historic garage in Palo Alto, that served as the birthplace to Apple Inc. jOBS stars Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons and Matthew Modine. Inferno Entertainment is handling international sales on jOBS.”

Do you think Ashton Kutcher was a good choice for Steve Jobs?