The screenwriter behind Universal's Steve Jobs biopic, Aaron Sorkin, apologized on Saturday for his response to remarks by Apple CEO Tim Cook, who last week said that filmmakers were being "opportunistic" making movies about the Apple co-founder.
"You know what, I think that Tim Cook and I probably both went a little too far," Sorkin commented to E! News. "And I apologize to Tim Cook. I hope when he sees the movie, he enjoys it as much as I enjoy his products."
In response to Cook's accusation on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Sorkin told the Hollywood Reporter on Friday that he and others took paycuts to make Steve Jobs, and suggested that Cook should actually see the film before judging it. His most controversial remark, though, accused Cook of hypocrisy given that suppliers like Foxconn have been known to use underpaid and/or underage labor.
"If you've got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for 17 cents an hour, you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic," Sorkin said.
Steve Jobs is scheduled for a limited debut on Oct. 9 and a wider release to follow. The movie was directed by Danny Boyle, and stars Michael Fassbender as Jobs.