The new movie will follow 2010’s ‘The Social Network’ (which Sorkin won an Oscar for scripting), which looked at the controversial birth of Facebook and the college/post-college days of founder Mark Zuckerberg.
(L to R) Andrew Garfield and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
The 2010 original, which had David Fincher calling the shots, looked at the difficult evolution of Facebook from college ranking system created –– there’s some debate as the movie suggests –– by Zuckerberg, played there by Jesse Eisenberg.
‘The Social Network’ charts Zuckerberg and his system’s rise to ubiquity and the people who ended up suing for their share of the profits, including the Winklevoss twins and old college friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield).
A huge hit with audiences and critics, it earned $226 million at the global box office.
Described as a companion piece to ‘The Social Network,’ Sorkin’s new script tells the true story of how Frances Haugen (Madison), a young Facebook engineer, enlists the help of Jeff Horwitz (White), a Wall Street Journal reporter, to go on a dangerous journey that ends up blowing the whistle on the social network’s most guarded secrets.
Strong is taking over the role of Zuckerberg from Eisenberg, while Mosaku’s role is unknown for now. Bill Burr (‘The King of Staten Island’) is also aboard, similarly in a mysterious role.
In addition to her role in box office hit ‘Sinners,’ Mosaku has been seen in the likes of Marvel’s‘Loki’ (and she reprised her role as Time Variance Authority Agent B-15 in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’).
Sony has yet to confirm a release date for the new movie. But we’d be shocked –– shocked, we tell you! –– if it wasn’t lined up as a potential awards competitor next year.
(L to R) Wunmi Mosaku, Anna Kendrick, and Kaniehtiio Horn in ‘Alice, Darling.’
Jeremy Strong is being eyed to join ‘The Social Network 2’ as Mark Zuckerberg, replacing Jesse Eisenberg.
Both actors are very talented, but with Jesse Eisenberg still acting, this would make no sense.
Replacing the main character’s actor will likely hurt the film in the long run.
‘The Social Network‘ is considered one of Aaron Sorkin‘s best films, which says a lot because he has made some great ones. The movie follows the birth of Facebook, and works perfectly as a stand-alone. Some would argue there is no need for a follow-up; however, with the way that social media has grown over the years, it comes as no surprise that Sorkin wants to explore it further.
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The casting surrounding the film is what is turning heads. News of replacing Jesse Eisenberg, who is the perfect Mark Zuckerberg, is shocking enough, but hearing that Jeremy Strong is the frontrunner for the role does not make a lot of sense. He is a great actor, we all know this, and he can pull off the billionaire businessman wonderfully, as seen in ‘Succession‘, but he doesn’t give off Zuckerberg vibes at all.
Jeremy Strong Is A Great Actor, But This Is Bad Casting
Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.
Jeremy Strong has some serious acting chops. He is able to get intense and downright scary when he needs to, but can also channel a more vulnerable side when the script calls for it. That said, casting him as Mark Zuckerberg makes no sense to me, and I don’t think I am alone in that.
Zuckerberg is more of a geeky, tech guy, something that Jesse Eisenberg perfectly embodied in ‘The Social Network’. I am unsure that Jeremy Strong would be able to bring him to life on the screen in a way that feels authentic and genuine.
With Jesse Eisenberg still acting, it seems to make no sense to replace him for the sequel, unless it was his decision. Perhaps there is more going on behind the scenes than we know. He is writing and directing now as well, having a lot of success with ‘A Real Pain‘ and is returning to the ‘Now You See Me‘ franchise, but I just don’t understand Aaron Sorkin’s decision to move forward to this project without him.
Will Recasting Hurt The Performance Of ‘The Social Network 2’?
Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Recasting the main actor of a franchise is almost never a good idea. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances, but with Jesse Eisenberg still acting, and still nailing his performances, it does not make any sense to replace him in ‘The Social Network 2’. If necessary, Aaron Sorkin should wait until his schedule clears up so that he can reprise his role as Mark Zuckerberg.
Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White are also being eyed to join the cast, however we do not yet know which roles will be offered to them. Hopefully they are not replacing actors that appeared in the first film as well.
Jeremy Allen White and Mikey Madison are the top choices for ‘The Social Network II”.
Aaron Sorkin is writing and directing the follow-up.
It’s not a direct sequel to the 2010 David Fincher Oscar winner, but continues focusing on Facebook.
Around a month ago, we learned that, after fiddling with ideas for a while, Aaron Sorkin had come up with a way to follow up 2010’s ‘The Social Network’, which won three Oscars, including one for Sorkin’s screenplay, and chronicled the difficult birth of Facebook.
Now, with the result widespread (and one of the key players in social media harm), Sorkin is developing ‘The Social Network II’ –– not a direct sequel, but instead something peeling back the layers of Facebook and its parent company Meta.
No formal offers have been made to either actor, so watch this space to see if they do jump aboard.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that, assuming their deals close, Madison would be Frances Haugen, the data engineer-turned-whistleblower who went to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Wall Street Journal with her information. White would play the former WSJ tech reporter who leads the breaking of the Facebook files.
And that’s not all… Jeremy Strong is also reportedly under consideration, and might end up playing debated Facebook creator (and current boss) Mark Zuckerberg this time around, replacing Jesse Eisenberg.
(L to R) Andrew Garfield and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
The 2010 original, which as mentioned had David Fincher calling the shots, looked at the difficult evolution of Facebook from college ranking system created –– again, there’s debate as the movie suggests –– by Zuckerberg, played there by Eisenberg.
‘The Social Network’ charts Zuckerberg and his system’s rise to ubiquity and the people who ended up suing for their share of the profits, including the Winklevoss twins and old college friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield).
A huge hit with audiences and critics, it earned $226 million at the global box office.
What has Aaron Sorkin said about a ‘Social Network’ follow-up?
Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Talking on a live edition of ‘The Town’ Podcast, Sorkin announced that his concern regarding how Facebook’s system has poisoned politics on the personal and national level led him to start work on a new script, which while not a direct sequel to ‘The Social Network’, would follow up on the low-key fears that were subtextual in the original.
Here’s what Sorkin told hosts Matthew Belloni and Peter Hamby:
“Look, yeah, I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6. Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible. Because that is what will increase engagement. That is what will get you to — what they call inside the hallways of Facebook — ‘the infinite scroll’ … There’s supposed to be a constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity. There isn’t. There’s just growth. If Mark Zuckerberg woke up tomorrow morning and realized there is nothing you can buy for $120 billion that you can’t buy for $119 billion dollars, ‘So how about if I make a little bit less money? I will tune up integrity and tune down growth.’ Yes, you can do that by switching a one to a zero.”
Asked what exactly he’d be focused on, he told the audience that they’d have to buy a movie ticket to find that out.
We do know a little more now, though: Sorkin’s screenplay for the new movie explores the story behind the Wall Street Journal‘s ‘The Facebook Files’, an explosive series of articles published in October 2021 that exposed the inner workings of — and multiple harms caused by — the world’s largest social network.
When will ‘The Social Network II’ be on screens?
Sony has yet to confirm a release date for the new movie.
Aaron Sorkin will write and direct a follow-up to ‘The Social Network’.
It’s not a direct sequel to the 2010 David Fincher Oscar winner.
Sony is once again backing the movie.
Back in 2010, ‘The Social Network’ made a big impact on movies and society in general. It charted the controversial rise of Facebook and the even more dicey story of creator –– there’s still debate about that –– Mark Zuckerberg, who continues to be a divisive figure.
That movie earned plenty of praise and awards (more on that below), and now a follow-up is in the works.
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Unlike the original, which had director David Fincher overseeing it, this time writer Aaron Sorkin is looking to pull double duty, with Deadline reporting that he hit upon a new concept after looking into the social media platform’s impact on politics and society, and being inspired by a series of articles in the Wall Street Journal.
Sony, which released the original movie, is on board for this one.
(L to R) Andrew Garfield and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
The 2010 original, which as mentioned had David Fincher calling the shots, looked at the difficult evolution of Facebook from college ranking system created –– again, there’s debate as the movie suggests –– by Mark Zuckerberg, played there by Jesse Eisenberg.
‘The Social Network’ charts Zuckerberg and his system’s rise to ubiquity and the people who ended up suing for their share of the profits, including the Winklevoss twins and old college friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield).
As the famous poster tagline from the movie suggests, “you don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies”.
A huge hit with audiences and critics, it earned $226 million at the global box office. Nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, the movie won three, including Sorkin for Best Adapted Screenplay.
What has Aaron Sorkin said about a ‘Social Network’ follow-up?
Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Talking on a live edition of ‘The Town’ Podcast, Sorkin announced that his concern regarding how Facebook’s system has poisoned politics on the personal and national level led him to start work on a new script, which while not a direct sequel to ‘The Social Network’, would follow up on the low-key fears that were subtextual in the original.
Here’s what Sorkin told hosts Matthew Belloni and Peter Hamby:
“Look, yeah, I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6. Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible. Because that is what will increase engagement. That is what will get you to — what they call inside the hallways of Facebook — ‘the infinite scroll’ … There’s supposed to be a constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity. There isn’t. There’s just growth. If Mark Zuckerberg woke up tomorrow morning and realized there is nothing you can buy for $120 billion that you can’t buy for $119 billion dollars, ‘So how about if I make a little bit less money? I will tune up integrity and tune down growth.’ Yes, you can do that by switching a one to a zero.”
Asked what exactly he’d be focused on, he told the audience that they’d have to buy a movie ticket to find that out.
We do know a little more now, though: Sorkin’s screenplay for the new movie explores the story behind the Wall Street Journal‘s ‘The Facebook Files’, an explosive series of articles published in October 2021 that exposed the inner workings of — and multiple harms caused by — the world’s largest social network.
Deadline’s sources stress that the new film isn’t strictly a “January 6” movie and will focus not just on the 2020 election but also Facebook’s effect on teens, preteens, violence and countries outside the U.S.
While we doubt he’ll look to emulate the style and intensity that Fincher brought to the first film, chances are he’ll find a way to make the new one interesting in its own way.
When will ‘The Social Network II’ be on screens?
Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Since Sorkin has the script apparently in hand, we may well see this one ramp up quickly –– there’s no production date in place yet, but the main deals for Sorkin and producers Todd Black, Peter Rice and Stuart Besser are locked down.
The writer/director will start gathering an ensemble for the movie soon and you know this will attract all sorts of established names and rising stars. A bigger question might be whether Jesse Eisenberg will be lured back to play Zuckerberg again, even if it’s in a much reduced capacity. We’ll have to wait and see on that one.
(L to R) Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
(L to R) Andrew Garfield and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Preview:
Aaron Sorkin is writing a script about Facebook’s dangerous influence.
He was inspired by the January 6 incident.
The project is still at an early stage.
Given that Aaron Sorkin won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for turning Ben Mezrich’s book ‘The Accidental Billionaires’ into the story of Facebook’s birth and complicated, contested early days, it seems only natural that he might be the person to tackle a story about its power and influence in the current era.
And from the sounds of it, that’s just what the creator of TV classic ‘The West Wing’ is now working on, albeit independent of any studio commission. And it appears he’s very suspicious of the site’s motives and impact.
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What is Aaron Sorkin looking at for a potential new Facebook movie?
Talking on a live edition of ‘The Town’ Podcast, Sorkin announced that his concern regarding how Facebook’s system has poisoned politics on the personal and national level led him to start work on a new script, which while not a direct sequel to ‘The Social Network’, would follow up on the low-key fears that were subtextual in the original.
Here’s what Sorkin told hosts Matthew Belloni and Peter Hamby:
“Look, yeah, I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6. Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible. Because that is what will increase engagement. That is what will get you to — what they call inside the hallways of Facebook — ‘the infinite scroll’ … There’s supposed to be a constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity. There isn’t. There’s just growth. If Mark Zuckerberg woke up tomorrow morning and realized there is nothing you can buy for $120 billion that you can’t buy for $119 billion dollars, ‘So how about if I make a little bit less money? I will tune up integrity and tune down growth.’ Yes, you can do that by switching a one to a zero.”
Oh, and asked what exactly he’d be focused on, he told the audience that they’d have to buy a movie ticket to find that out.
Jesse Eisenberg in ‘The Social Network’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
David Fincher, of course, directed ‘The Social Network’ to great success, and Sorkin has said in the past that any future Facebook-associated project would be one he’d only consider if the ‘Se7en’ and ‘Fight Club’ filmmaker was involved.
“People have been talking to me about [a sequel] because of what we’ve discovered is the dark side of Facebook. Do I want to write that movie? Yeah I do. I will only write it if [David Fincher] directs it. If Billy Wilder came back from the grave and said he wanted to direct it, I’d say I’d only do it with David.”
Right now, this exists only as a work-in-progress script by Sorkin, so we’ll see whether he gets to the point where he wants to take it out and attract some interest.
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in ‘Being the Ricardos’
Currently, in theaters, before streaming on Amazon Prime December 21st, is the biopic ‘Being the Ricardos,’ which was written and directed by Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin (‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’). The film follows the working and personal lives of legendary television pioneers Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, as the married couple try to produce their hit show ‘I Love Lucy’ the same week Ball is accused of being a communist during the height of the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.
The movie boasts a stellar cast of actors that includes Oscar-winners Nicole Kidman (‘The Hours”) as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem (‘No Country for Old Men’) as Desi Arnaz, respectively, as well as Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons (‘Whiplash’), Nina Arianda (‘Stan & Ollie’), Tony Hale (‘Toy Story 4’), Alia Shawkat (‘The Runaways’), and Clark Gregg (‘Avengers’). The result is a brilliant, moving and entertaining movie that illuminates Ball and Arnaz’s groundbreaking work and difficult marriage, while featuring Oscar worthy performances from Kidman, Bardem, and Simmons.
The film begins like a documentary with several interviews from former ‘I Love Lucy’ writers, now in their 80s, narrating the story, which then cuts to the set of the series in the 1950s and focuses on a specific week in history. As the movie begins, ‘I Love Lucy’ is the most popular show on television and Lucy and Desi have become the biggest stars in Hollywood. But trouble begins when it is reported on the radio that Lucy is a former member of the communist party, which happens at the height of both her fame and McCarthyism. Fearing that it is true, the heads of the network and the advertisers meet with Desi, who assures them it was just a mistake, and that Lucy simply checked the wrong box. But Lucy would rather have the country know the truth, that she was influenced by an Uncle, rather than think she made a “ditzy” mistake.
Meanwhile, Lucy is also dealing with her new-found fame, Desi’s adulteress behavior and being pregnant, which also threatens the future of the show. Understandably stressed out, Lucy focuses on work, taking time to make sure everything on the show is done right, which begins to anger the director, writers, and other cast members. Lucy’s co-star, Vivian Vance (Arianda) is battling her own demons playing the “frumpy friend” on the series, fighting to have her character appear “prettier” on the show. While Lucy’s other co-star, William Frawley (Simmons) has a hard time staying sober through the day, he also hates communists but sympathizes with Ball instead of condemning her. The story culminates with the production of that week’s episode and Lucy discovering if America will still love her or not when they discover the truth. The film also flashes back periodically to important moments from Ball and Arnaz’s lives, including how they met and fell in love, and what led to their career resurgence and the creation of ‘I Love Lucy.’
I’ve been a fan of Aaron Sorkin for a long time. The first play I ever read was ‘A Few Good Men,’ and I was a huge fan of ‘The West Wing.’ While he did not direct them, I love many of the movies that have been made from his screenplays, including ‘Charlie Wilson’s War,’ ‘Moneyball,’ ‘Steve Jobs,’ and ‘The Social Network,’ for which he won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. However, his first directorial effort, 2017’s ‘Molly’s Game’ didn’t work for me. The dialogue and characters were great, but cinematically I was not impressed. That changed with last year’s ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7,’ which was visually stunning but still had the weight of strong characters and fascinating dialogue.
But ‘Being the Ricardos’ is Sorkin’s best work yet as a director, creating an almost flawless movie that seemingly jumps time periods without ever losing the audience or the themes of the story. The writer/director also hits on many themes from the 1950s that still resonate today, like political fear and women’s rights, through the lens of Ball’s unusual predicament. I expect the film is in the running to receive Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nominations, and maybe even a Best Director nomination for Sorkin too, at the 2022 Academy Awards.
The supporting cast is terrific with a lot of familiar TV faces to recognize including ‘Arrested Development’s Tony Hale and Alia Shawkat, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Clark Gregg, and even ‘Alice’s Linda Lavin as the older version of writer Madelyn Pugh. While she will probably get left out of this year’s Oscar race, actress Nina Arianda should definitely not be! She gives a tremendous supporting performance as Vivian Vance and brings a lot of humanity and vulnerability to the role. But I’m really hoping J.K. Simmonds will get an Oscar nomination this year for his role as William Frawley. You think that the usually drunk and crusty Frawley is going to be an antagonist to Ball in the beginning, but he becomes one of her strongest supporters thanks to a beautiful and earnest performance from Simmons.
But there is no doubt in my mind that Kidman and Bardem will receive Oscar nominations for their performances in ‘Being the Ricardos’ this year. Bardem will have a tough time winning, since this is “Will Smith’s year,” but Kidman could very well win her second Academy Award for this performance, but she will have to beat front-runner Kristen Stewart first. Bardem is absolutely mesmerizing as Desi Arnaz and gives one of the most multifaceted performances of his career, both singing and dancing as the charismatic performer. I can’t say I’ve always been a Nicole Kidman fan, but she was nothing short of incredible as Lucille Ball. She was so good that there were times I actually forgot I was watching Kidman and thought it was Ball, and that’s probably the best compliment you can give an actor that is portraying a real person. Kidman perfectly captures the drive, confidence and determination it took for Ball to become the legend she is, and has wonderful onscreen chemistry with Bardem.
In the end, ‘Being the Ricardos’ hits a new level for Aaron Sorkin as a filmmaker and is fairly close to a perfect film. It’s entertaining, moving, funny, and tells a true story that still feels relevant today.
Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures; Open Road Films
Budgetary problems stopped progress for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” but new developments have apparently righted the ship.
Paramount is now the U.S. distributor of the upcoming Aaron Sorkin film, while Cross Creek has joined Amblin Pictures in co-financing and producing, Deadline reports. With these players involved, production is expected to be able to begin in October. Amblin previously had to pull the plug during pre-production, per The Hollywood Reporter.
The Sorkin-penned screenplay centers on the 1969 trial of a group of anti-war activists. The U.S. government accused them of several crimes, including conspiracy and inciting to riot, after they held protests during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The five previously cast actors will play activists on trial, while Langella will play U.S. District Court Judge Julius Hoffman and Rylance will portray William Kuntsler, the activists’ defense lawyer.
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” will be produced by Marc Platt, Stuart Besser, Matt Jackson, and Cross Creek’s Tyler Thompson. ShivHans Pictures’ Shivani Rawat will serve as executive producer. Here’s hoping there are no more stumbling blocks.
The drama is about the 1969 trial of seven men who were charged by the federal government with conspiracy for protesting at the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Sorkin said, “I’m thrilled to be making a movie about one of one of the craziest, funniest, most intense, most tragic and most triumphant trials in American history. ‘C-7’ may take place in the late ’60’s, but there’s no better time to tell this story than today.”
The cast includes Eddie Redmayne as defendant/activist Tom Hayden, Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman, Alex Sharp as Rennie Davis, and Rogen as Jerry Rubin (who famously showed up to trial wearing judges’ robes). Gordon-Levitt will play prosecutor Richard Schultz. Jonathan Majors is playing Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale.
Michael Keaton is reportedly being sought for the role of William Kunstler, the radical lawyer and civil rights activist who defended the Chicago 7.
Production is scheduled for late summer. Shooting was originally set to begin in February.
“Chicago 7” will be Oscar- and Emmy-winning writer Sorkin’s second film as director: He made his feature directorial debut in 2017 with “Molly’s Game,” which he also wrote.
The Oscar winner (and finder of fantastic beasts) is in talks to play a key role in Aaron Sorkin‘s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film is based on the 1969 federal trial of seven activists who were charged with conspiracy stemming from the anti-Vietnam protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Redmayne would play Tom Hayden, the co-founder of the Students for a Democratic Society. (Doubtful this will make the movie, but Hayden’s other pop culture caché is that he was married to Jane Fonda from 1973-199O and is the father of actor Troy Garity. He passed away in 2016.)
Steven Spielberg was once set to direct (based on Sorkin’s script) over a decade ago, with hopes to cast Heath Ledger as Hayden, Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman and possibly Will Smith as Bobby Seale. The 2007 WGA strike delayed filming and the project was suspended.
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” is finally getting underway.
The political drama, which has been in development for years, is close to getting made. Variety reports that Aaron Sorkin has signed on to direct and Sacha Baron Cohen is in talks to star.
The movie tells the true story of the 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, related to the anti-Vietnam and countercultural protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The trial captivated the already-divided country.
Sorkin himself wrote the script more than a decade ago and Steven Spielberg wanted to direct. Then, the writers’ strike happened and the project landed in development hell. Last year, Spielberg, who is still producing the film, saw Sorkin’s directorial debut “Molly’s Game” and recruited him to come on board.
Baron’s name has been in the mix since Spielberg was attached. He most recently starred in his controversial Showtime series “Who Is America?” and is currently filming Netflix’s “The Spy.”
