Sixteen years after “The Social Network” portrayed the creation of Facebook, audiences got their first look at the film’s long-awaited sequel.
Sony Pictures has released the trailer for “The Social Reckoning,” a sequel to the 2010 Oscar-winning drama that returns the focus to the social media giant. Now, the production investigates the revelations made by whistleblowers as the platform established itself as a global power.
The cast features Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Bill Burr and Jeremy Strong. Strong plays Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, taking over from Jesse Eisenberg, who played the character in the original film.
Aaron Sorkin returns to the series taking on the roles of writer and director, expanding his participation after winning the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for “The Social Network”. The film tells the true story of former Facebook engineer Frances Haugen (Madison) and Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (White), whose reports exposed internal documents and the company’s decision-making process. The work resulted in “The Facebook Files”, a 2021 investigative series that showed the negative impacts of Facebook on teenagers and the platform’s role in spreading misinformation, including material linked to political violence.
At the trailer launch during this year’s CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners, Sorkin explained his reason for making the sequel to his 2010 corporate drama: “There is no life that the Facebook algorithm hasn’t touched, and that influence has shaped everything. So it’s time to say more.”
“The Social Network” won over critics and audiences, earning US$226 million worldwide and obtaining eight Oscar nominations, including best film. The production won three statuettes and continues to be remembered as one of Hollywood’s most striking portraits of the technology industry.
“The Social Reckoning” is produced by Sorkin along with Todd Black, Peter Rice and Stuart Besser. Sony Pictures will debut the film in theaters on October 9.
