'Steve Jobs' Film Debuts Impressively in Limited Release

Only a limited number of fans have been able to see Steve Jobs over the weekend, thanks to its initial small scale release in only Los Angeles and New York on October 9. Despite that limited run, the Danny Boyle-directed film has debuted with impressive numbers, making $521,000 in its first weekend with a per-theater average of $130,250 (via Variety).

steve jobs film
Although those numbers landed the movie well below any top-earning spot for the weekend box office at large (it placed sixteenth overall), that per-theater average places Steve Jobs as the fifteenth highest PTA figure in film history. As the rollout for the film expands -- 25 new markets and 60 theaters on October 16, and then 2,000 theaters on October 23 -- Universal has doubled down on its release strategy, believing the slow trickle to wide release will help generate positive word of mouth.

“By holding back and platforming it in this way, we let the public know what this movie is all about and we generate a hotter ‘want to see’ among audiences,” said Nick Carpou, head of Universal’s domestic distribution operation.

Universal hopes these limited release numbers translate into bigger returns when Steve Jobs debuts in wide release next weekend, aiming for a similar trajectory as The Social Network's $97 million overall domestic haul. Current analysts predict at least a $20 million opening wide release weekend for the new film, pointing to the ubiquity of Apple products, largely positive early reviews, and the audience's hunt for "prestige movies" at this time of year as the main factors for its potential success.

Popular Stories

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...

Top Rated Comments

jpgr15 Avatar
124 months ago
and the audience's hunt for "prestige movies"
What the heck is a prestige movie and why are people hunting for them?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2457282 Avatar
124 months ago
Just slightly off topic - I am wondering about the whole going to the movies thing. Pretty much everyone now has a large TV screen at home (for the sake of argument say 40 inch or larger). With streaming like Netflix or Apple TV, I really don't see why people are drawn to pay so much to go to the movies. I will wait for this to come to one of my streaming services and then maybe I will watch it. But paying over $20 just for the tickets (not to mention transportation and other expenses associated with going out), for a movie that will play well on my screen at home makes no sense. Congrats to the movie for making tons of money, but please wait a little while longer before you get a few dollars from me.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rocketman Avatar
124 months ago
Several posters to this site keep referring to hardcore fans and fanboys.

It is regular workaday folks that buy Apple products and love them. They like the products and the benefits they receive.

The fraction of any population that is a so-called fanboy is under 1%. Yet they have a large portion of the mindshare and mocking by some posters here.

That makes me believe they are on the other end of the bell curve themselves. Anti-fanboys.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
madsci954 Avatar
124 months ago
That's how much money talking about Steve Jobs (right or wrong) makes...

If it were a movie about Nicola Tesla, Hewelet and Packard (the founders), Fairchild, etc...

Would it make that much money?

Don't think so...
Actually, if Hollywood executives approached me and asked if I would rather see a movie about Steve Jobs or Nicola Tesla, I'd probably pick Tesla.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsrcool1234 Avatar
124 months ago
That's how much money talking about Steve Jobs (right or wrong) makes...

If it were a movie about Nicola Tesla, Hewelet and Packard (the founders), Fairchild, etc...

Would it make that much money?

Don't think so...
I had to read this post like 3 times before I realized there was no sarcasm tag.

If it wasn't for Nicola Tesla, Steve Jobs would have been a nobody.

Our education system has truly failed.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mijail Avatar
124 months ago
Several posters to this site keep referring to hardcore fans and fanboys.

It is regular workaday folks that buy Apple products and love them. They like the products and the benefits they receive.

The fraction of any population that is a so-called fanboy is under 1%. Yet they have a large portion of the mindshare and mocking by some posters here.

That makes me believe they are on the other end of the bell curve themselves. Anti-fanboys.
http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=2939

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)