Jeff Daniels linked to troubled Steve Jobs biopic, Sony leak shows Sorkin wanted Tom Cruise for lead role [u]

"Newsroom" star Jeff Daniels looks likely to play former Apple CEO John Sculley in the upcoming Aaron Sorkin-penned Steve Jobs biopic, a Tuesday report said, as director Danny Boyle is said to have Daniels at the top of his list for the role.

Daniels is not formally attached to the project, but paperwork is expected to come his way soon, according to The Wrap. He would join Michael Fassbender and Seth Rogen, who are slated to play Apple cofounders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, respectively.

Despite being most famous among moviegoers for playing a simpleton in the classic comedy Dumb and Dumber, Daniels is primarily a dramatic actor. He has won critical acclaim of late for his performance in HBO's The Newsroom, also written by Sorkin.

News of Daniels's involvement comes on the heels of reports that starlet Natalie Portman passed on the role of Jobs's daughter Lisa. She was one of several noted celebrities to contemplate but ultimately pass on the film, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale as well as director David Fincher.

The problems led Sony to sell the film's rights to Universal last month, though production is still said to be on schedule to begin next spring. In addition to Fassbender, Rogen, Daniels, and Boyle, Scott Rudin, Mark Gordon and Guymon Casady are on board as producers.

Update: Leaked emails from the recent high-profile Sony hack show Sorkin initially wanted Tom Cruise to play Jobs, saying that despite his age, Cruise handles dialogue well and would be a prime candidate for the role, reports CNN. Sorkin was successful in convincing Boyle and producer Scott Rudin, but in the end all was for naught as Sony let the movie go to Universal.