Danny Boyle’s ‘Steve Jobs’ lands NYFF centerpiece spot

Director Danny Boyle’s biographical drama “Steve Jobs,” starring Michael Fassbender as the late Apple co-founder, will screen in the New York Film Festival’s centerpiece slot Oct. 3.

Organizers announced the news Monday, with programming director Kent Jones calling the film “dramatically concentrated, yet beautifully expansive.”

Written by Aaron Sorkin and loosely based on Walter Isaacson’s biography, “Steve Jobs” is a portrait of the charismatic and controversial tech pioneer as seen through the lens of three key product launches, culminating with the unveiling of the iMac in 1998. Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels co-star.

Universal Pictures, which will release “Steve Jobs” on Oct. 9, will no doubt look to build an awards-season campaign for the highly anticipated film, which endured a roller-coaster development process that was thoroughly chronicled by the press.

Notably, while the NYFF’s centerpiece spot often goes to a world premiere of a buzzed-about end-of-year movie, “Steve Jobs” is not listed as a world premiere, and will likely bow at another of the prestigious North American fall festivals, such as Toronto or Telluride.

For Sorkin and “Steve Jobs” producer Scott Rudin, the NYFF served as a successful launchpad for a previous fact-based tech drama, “The Social Network,” which kicked off the fest in 2010 and went on to win three Academy Awards, including adapted screenplay.

This year’s NYFF will be bookended by biopics: “The Walk,” Robert Zemeckis’ film about World Trade Center tightrope walker Philippe Petit, will open the gathering Sept. 25, and Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis tale “Miles Ahead” will close it Oct. 11.

Follow @ogettell for movie news

ALSO:

Venice taps ‘Everest’ to open festival as hopes climb

NYFF: Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis film ‘Miles Ahead’ to close festival

‘Paper Towns’ and 21 other books to read before you see the movie