Christian Bale leaves Steve Jobs biopic over 'conflicting feelings' about playing Apple founder

The Batman actor decided he was not right for the part after 'much deliberation'

Christian Bale has waved goodbye to Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs biopic (Getty Images)

Christian Bale has pulled out of playing Apple founder Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic due to "conflicting feelings".

The Oscar-winning actor withdrew from the role, deciding he was "not right for the part after much deliberation", according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) is directing the as-yet-untitled Sony film from a script by The Social Network's Aaron Sorkin. Shooting was scheduled to begin this winter but plans are now likely to change.

Boyle is meeting potential actors and actresses this week, with Seth Rogen reportedly being considered for the role of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

The script is believed to be divided into three acts following Jobs' preparation for three Apple product launches that defined both his own life and that of his company. It will feature Sorkin's "trademark fast-paced dialogue".

Sorkin had announced Bale's casting in a Bloomberg TV interview earlier this month, telling viewers that the Batman star was not asked to audition. Bale, however, had not begun official negotiations.

"We needed the best actor on the board in a certain age range and that's Chris Bale," he said. "He didn't have to audition. Well, there was a meeting."

"There isn't a scene or a frame that he's not in," he continued. "There's a tremendous amount of language. So it's an extremely difficult part and he is gonna crush it."

Based on Walter Isaacson's bestselling 2011 biography, the film has been in the pipeline since at least 2012, but there have been problems casting the lead.

Leonardo DiCaprio was in line to play Jobs but opted to shoot The Revenant with Tom Hardy instead, while Matt Damon, Bradley Cooper and Ben Affleck have all been frontrunner at some stage. David Fincher had been in talks to direct before he left over a pay dispute, leaving Boyle to take the helm.

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