Kate Winslet in talks for female lead in Steve Jobs movie

The beleaguered film has encountered a host of problems

Actress Kate Winslet (Getty Images)

Kate Winslet is reportedly in talks to star as the female lead in the new biopic about Steve Jobs.

The Oscar-winner would appear alongside Michael Fassbender, who will depict the Apple co-founder in the Universal Pictures film, according to Variety. Seth Rogen is set to play fellow co-founder Steve Wozniakin.

Based on Walter Isaacson’s biography Steve Jobs, the drama will be directed by Danny Boyle with a screenplay from Aaron Sorkin and is said to feature the writer’s “trademark fast-paced dialogue”.

However, whether the film will come to fruition or not remains to be seen as it has been besieged by problems from the start.

Initially a Sony Pictures venture, the movie moved to Universal last month.

Before that it experienced a host of casting problems. Boyle was drafted in after David Fincher dropped out allegedly due to heavy demands for compensation and control.

And various actors have also pulled the plug, including Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Furthermore, emails leaked in the Sony cyber attack, and published by The Daily Beast, revealed that DiCaprio’s decision to exit was branded “horrible” and “actually despicable” as in an email exchange between Sony co-chairperson Amy Pascal and Jobs producer Mark Gordon.

Other famous names rumoured to be joining the cast include Natalie Portman and Jeff Daniels.

Boyle’s biopic is unconnected to last year’s film Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher in the title role.