Tim Cook is not known for the theatrical flair that came naturally for Steve Jobs, the late Apple co-founder. But after 12 years as Apple’s chief executive, the softly spoken Alabama native appears to be discovering his inner Hollywood mogul.
This weekend Apple will roll out acclaimed director Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon in more than 3,600 US cinemas and thousands more in 63 other markets around the world. Cook has taken a deep personal interest in the film, appearing at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and throwing his support behind an auteur-friendly Hollywood rollout that is more rooted in the celluloid era than the iPhone age.
“For Tim to go all the way to Cannes and be a part of that was a huge thing,” noted a senior entertainment industry executive. “So I think Apple is definitely enamoured with the [movie] business.”