 On March 31, 2014, it was reported that Ben Stiller was in negotiations to direct the film.As of September 24, 2015, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jake Gyllenhaal were in talks to play Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, respectively, with Alfonso Gomez-Rejon ("Me and Earl and the Dying Girl") eyed to direct the film.Sacha Baron Cohen was also briefly linked to the role of Edison.