Ashton Kutcher to star in Jobs biopic?

Is Ashton Kutcher set to star in a biopic of Steve Jobs? If an article from Variety magazine is to be believed, then the answer is yes.

There was some doubt as to the story’s authenticity given that it first emerged on April Fools’ Day. Variety reporter Jeff Snider, however, sent out several tweets in an attempt to assure people of the story’s authenticity:

Guys, do you REALLY think the top @Variety brass & my editors would let me post an APRIL FOOL’S DAY joke on the homepage? Uh… no.

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 1, 2012

We discussed holding it until Monday for fear of readers dismissing it as a joke, but felt it was too big a scoop to risk losing. It’s TRUE!

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 1, 2012

@WellsHwood From what I’ve heard, JOBS will follow Steve from co-founding Apple & getting forced out to when he comes back. Not later years.

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 1, 2012

Either @THR & I just posted the same APRIL FOOL’S DAY joke… OR… we aren’t kidding. hollywoodreporter.com/news/two-and-h…

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 1, 2012

The independent film is reportedly set to be entitled Jobs and will see Kutcher being directed by Joshua Michael Stern, who is probably most well-known for the movie Swing Vote. According to Variety, film will “chronicle Steve Jobs from wayward hippie to co-founder of Apple”.

The decision to cast Kutcher is hardly surprising given the similarities between himself and the young Jobs.

Kutcher took over from Charlie Sheen on the sitcom Two and a Half Men after the latter’s public meltdown. He is also sometimes referred to as The King of Twitter, and has over 10-million followers. He has not, however, tweeted out anything about the upcoming role.

Sony is also working on its own Jobs biopic, to be based on Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography.