Variety reports that sources have confirmed actor Christian Bale is in talks to play the role of Steve Jobs in the upcoming biopic based on Walter Isaacson’s official biography of the late Apple co-founder. Variety adds that insiders believe Bale will begin filming for the biopic this spring.

Bale, who can next be seen in Ridley Scott’s “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” is still negotiating for the Travis McGee pic “The Deep Blue Goodbye” at Fox. Sources tell Variety talks have taken longer then expected because Bale was not interested in doing a sequel while Fox wanted one.

Insiders say Bale would likely shoot “Jobs” in the spring and follow it up with ‘The Deep Blue Goodbye.”

The film, which has been in development for years with many big names involved in the project, will be directed by Danny Boyle and is written by Aaron Sorkin as a Sony production.

David Fincher was originally expected to direct the biopic with Christian Bale as his first pick to star as Jobs, although Fincher was rejected by Sony earlier this year.

Shortly thereafter, Danny Boyle was reportedly picked to direct the film with Sony expected to tap Leonardo DiCaprio as its star. DiCaprio, though, dropped out of the film earlier this month before production began.

A separate Steve Jobs biopic with the Apple co-founder portrayed by Ashton Kutcher was released last year, although Sorkin’s film will focus on Jobs just before the introduction of the Mac, his time at NeXT, and just before the introduction of the iPod.

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