Skip to main content

Sorkin hits back over Tim Cook’s criticism of his Steve Jobs movie

sorkin hits back over tim cooks criticism of his steve jobs movie fassbender as
Universal Pictures
UPDATE: Sorkin has since apologized for his comments. “I think that Tim Cook and I probably both went a little too far,” he told E! News. “And I apologize to Tim Cook. I hope when he sees the movie, he enjoys it as much as I enjoy his products.”

Original story below.

As you’re probably aware, there’s a new Steve Jobs movie on the way. Michael Fassbender stars, Danny Boyle is directing, and Aaron Sorkin (of The West Wing and The Social Network fame) wrote the screenplay. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on Oct. 9.

Not everyone is looking forward to the premiere though: Apple CEO Tim Cook, who succeeded Steve Jobs in 2011, has said that he thinks the movie is “opportunistic” and essentially a cash-in on the memory of Jobs. The comments were made during the Apple chief’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert a few days ago.

Writer Aaron Sorkin isn’t taking Cook’s comments lying down though. During a press event to promote the film yesterday, Sorkin had a few responses to that “opportunistic” jibe.

“Nobody did this movie to get rich,” Sorkin told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview. “Secondly, Tim Cook should really see the movie before he decides what it is. Third, if you’ve got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for 17 cents an hour you’ve got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic.”

Ouch. The mild-mannered Cook isn’t one to get into a slanging match so that may well be the last we hear on the topic. It’s worth pointing out that Cook was referring to recent books, movies and other unauthorized takes on the life of Steve Jobs, not this Universal Pictures project in particular.

Still, the media loves a war of words, and Sorkin is often happy to oblige. The movie is the second film in recent years to attempt to depict the rise of Jobs and Apple: Ashton Kutcher starred in a 2013 project that wasn’t particularly well-received by critics or audiences.

Are you with Cook or Sorkin on the Jobs movie? Are you planning to go and see the film in cinemas? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Editors' Recommendations

David Nield
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
5 great Bill Skarsgård movies you should check out
Bill Skarsgård as the Marquis de Gramont standing with his hands in his pockets in John Wick Chapter 4.

Bill Skarsgård is more than just a very handsome face. In fact, he is among his generation's most interesting and arresting performers,  a modern scream king known for his tendency toward playing intriguing and elusive characters in intense and often dark films. This year, Skarsgård is set to dominate with three high-profile releases — Boy Kills World this April, The Crow in August, and Robert Eggers' highly awaited horror film Nosferatu in December.

If the wait is too unbearable for you and you want to see more of the talented actor's work, I suggest you check out the 2022 miniseries Clark, one of Netflix's best miniseries, featuring Skarsgård's best and most charming performance to date. However, if you're more into movies, then be sure to check out these five films where Skarsgård showcases his mesmerizing talent and versatility.
5. It (2017)

Read more
Like Netflix’s hit series Dead Boy Detectives? Then watch these 3 shows right now
Two boys sit in an office in Dead Boy Detectives.

The task of finding another show to watch based on a show you just enjoyed watching can be more difficult than you might think. Streaming algorithms can be effective for some things, but definitely not for everything, and there's no guarantee that whatever you liked about one show will actually make an appearance in another.

If, for example, you were really into Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives, which follows two young ghosts as they solve crimes along with a clairvoyant, you may like it for any number of reasons, from its sense of humor to its flirtations with the afterlife. If you're looking for another show that offers something similar, then we've carefully curated three that should fit the bill and may have flown under your radar.
The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024)
The Umbrella Academy: Season 4 | Final Season | Netflix

Read more
Juventus vs Milan live stream: Can you watch for free?
Massive open air soccer stadium with a game in play.

Juventus and Milan clash in a Top-3 Serie A showdown today at Allianz Stadium. Though the stakes are considerably lower now that Inter have officially claimed this season's Scudetto, this is still a compelling matchup between two of Italy's premier sides.

This one is starting very soon, at 12:00 p.m. ET. It will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, but we've found a handful of different ways you can watch the match live online for free.
Is There a Free Juventus vs Milan Live Stream?

Read more