After being in development for years, the Aaron Sorkin-scripted Steve Jobs biopic is finally starting to move along. Director Danny Boyle is aiming to start production on the film this winter and is currently in the process of casting. Seth Rogen boarded the project recently and, for a while, it looked as though Christian Bale would be in the lead (Sorkin himself confirmed as such).

However, just yesterday we learned that the former Batman dropped out, leading Boyle to schedule meetings with other thespians. Where we stand today, it appears as if Boyle’s search for a replacement will be a quick one.

According to Variety, Oscar-nominated Michael Fassbender has entered talks with the filmmaker to portray the late Apple co-founder. Fassbender’s potential involvement is a surprising development (but a welcome one), as he wasn’t on the wish list that Sony put together after Leonardo DiCaprio passed on the project.

We should caution readers that “in talks” does not mean that Fassbender will in fact be wearing a black turtleneck in the near future. After all, Bale was seemingly locked in just two weeks ago before leaving. This film has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout pre-production, so until cameras are actually rolling, it’s best to not get too excited.

Sorkin’s Jobs biopic script, in a deviation from the traditional biopic format, is broken up into three, 30-minute scenes. Each sequence will play out in real time, while showcasing the behind-the-scenes events prior to the launches of the first Macintosh computer, the NeXT computer, and the original iPod.

Sorkin has said whoever plays Jobs “says more words in this movie than most people say in three movies combined,” which explains why Boyle is after a talented actor to take the part. Fassbender certainly fits that bill, having put together a very impressive résumé filled with big-scale Hollywood pictures (X-Men: Days of Future Past), indie dramas (Shame), and even Best Picture winners (12 Years a Slave). He’s versatile and has a tremendous skill set that’s valuable to any production he joins.

The final piece to this puzzle will be the actor’s availability (or lack thereof). Fassbender will appear in X-Men: Apocalypse and maybe Prometheus 2 in 2016, plus he’s still onboard for Assassin’s Creed (another possible 2016 release). He must be confident in his time management abilities if he’s in talks; will the stars at long last align on this prospective awards contender?

We’ll keep you updated on the untitled Steve Jobs biopic as more information becomes available.