Michael Fassbender’s “Steve Jobs” heads for year’s biggest limited launch

PanARMENIAN.Net - “Steve Jobs” is set to bite into $561,476 from four theaters in its opening weekend — a per-screen average of $140,369 — according to early estimates, Variety reports.

Should the figures hold, it would mark the biggest limited launch since “American Sniper” grossed $633,456 on four screens during the final weekend of 2014. It would also trump the year’s top limited launches: Lionsgate’s “Sicario” with $401,288 at six sites, and A24’s “Ex Machina” with $237,264 at four theaters.

Universal is showing the film at the Arclight Hollywood and Landmark theaters in Los Angeles, and the AMC Loews Lincoln Square and Regal Union Square in New York City.

Reviews for “Steve Jobs,” which stars Michael Fassbender, have been stellar, earning a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Universal had planned on a nationwide release on Oct. 9, but decided last month to switch to a limited launch, followed by additional North American markets on Oct. 16 and a nationwide expansion on Oct. 23.

The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 5 and played at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 3. Danny Boyle directs the film from Aaron Sorkin’s script — adapted from Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography “Steve Jobs.”

Universal picked up the project in November, less than a week after Sony put the high-profile feature into turnaround.

Kate Winslet plays ex-Macintosh marketing chief Joanna Hoffman, while Jeff Daniels portrays former Apple CEO John Sculley. The film also stars Katherine Waterston as Chrisann Brennan, Jobs’ ex-girlfriend, and Michael Stuhlbarg as Andy Hertzfeld, one of the original members of the Apple Macintosh development team.

The movie is divided into three parts — each before one of Apple’s famous product launches.

The international rollout begins in mid November.