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.’
Gary Cole as Bill Lumbergh in ‘Office Space.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.
But its also a three-day weekend, and many movie fans spend the last official weekend of summer relaxing and watching a movie!
In honor of Labor Day, Moviefone has assembled a list of the 30 best movies ever made set in the workplace.
(L to R) Robert De Niro as Ben and Anne Hathaway as Jules in 2015’s ‘The Intern.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway).
Two recently laid-off men in their 40s (Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson) try to make it as interns at a successful Internet company where their managers are in their 20s.
The owner of a factory that produces flavor extracts, Joel Reynold (Jason Bateman) seems to have it all, but really doesn’t. What’s missing is sexual attention from his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig). Joel hatches a convoluted plan to get Suzie to cheat on him, thereby clearing the way for Joel to have an affair with Cindy (Mila Kunis), an employee. But what Joel doesn’t know is that Cindy is a sociopathic con artist, and a freak workplace accident clears the way for her to ruin Joel forever.
A young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal), recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer (James Spader), where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.
A fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States — Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, where a woman (Charlize Theron) who endured a range of abuse while working as a miner filed and won the landmark 1984 lawsuit.
Christian Bale in ‘Newsies’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
A week in the life of the exploited, child newspaper sellers in turn-of-the-century New York including Jack “Cowboy” Kelly (Christian Bale). When their publisher, Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall), tries to squeeze a little more profit out of their labors, they organize a strike, only to be confronted with the Pulitzer’s hard-ball tactics.
When she learns she’s in danger of losing her visa status and being deported, overbearing book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) forces her put-upon assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), to marry her.
Convenience and video store clerks Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed and bored out of their minds. So in between needling customers, the counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their love lives.
Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) is the workaholic editor of a New York City tabloid. He loves his job, but the long hours and low pay are leading to discontent. Also, publisher Bernie White (Robert Duvall) faces financial straits, and has hatchet-man Alicia Clark (Glenn Close)—Henry’s nemesis—impose unpopular cutbacks.
When a western Pennsylvania auto plant is acquired by a Japanese company, brokering auto worker Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) faces the tricky challenge of mediating the assimilation of two clashing corporate cultures. At one end is the Japanese plant manager (Gedde Watanabe) and the sycophant who is angling for his position. At the other, a number of disgruntled long-time union members (George Wendt and John Turturro) struggle with the new exigencies of Japanese quality control.
Sally Field as Norma Rae Webster in ‘Norma Rae.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Norma Rae (Sally Field) is a southern textile worker employed in a factory with intolerable working conditions. This concern about the situation gives her the gumption to be the key associate to a visiting labor union organizer (Ron Leibman). Together, they undertake the difficult, and possibly dangerous, struggle to unionize her factory.
A nebbish of a morgue attendant (Henry Winkler) gets shunted back to the night shift where he is shackled with an obnoxious neophyte partner (Michael Keaton) who dreams of the “one great idea” for success. His life takes a bizarre turn when a prostitute neighbor (Shelly Long) complains about the loss of her pimp. His partner, upon hearing the situation, suggests that they fill that opening themselves using the morgue at night .
When Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston), CEO of the technology company Zenotek, expresses her intention to close the Chicago branch, run by her brother Clay (T.J. Miller), he and his co-workers organize a Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and save their jobs. But the party gets out of control…
A law firm brings in its “fixer” (George Clooney) to remedy the situation after a lawyer (Tom Wilkinson) has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit. Actress Tilda Swinton received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
(L to R) Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, and James Hong in A24’s ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman (Michelle Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes.
New York City, 1954: Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) is the junior writer on the top rated variety/comedy show. His idol Alan Swann (Peter O’Toole), an actor with a drinking problem, is to be that week’s guest star.
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.
For Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day), the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, with the benefit of a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con (Jamie Foxx), the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers… permanently.
Andy (Anne Hathaway) moves to New York to work in the fashion industry. Her boss (Meryl Streep) is extremely demanding, cruel and won’t let her succeed if she doesn’t fit into the high class elegant look of their magazine.
(L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in ‘Trading Places.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
A snobbish investor (Dan Aykroyd) and a wily street con-artist (Eddie Murphy) find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Corporate downsizing expert Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends his life in planes, airports, and hotels, but just as he’s about to reach a milestone of ten million frequent flyer miles, he meets a woman (Vera Farmiga) who causes him to rethink his transient life.
Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is an ambitious secretary with a unique approach for climbing the ladder to success. When her classy, but villainous boss (Sigourney Weaver) breaks a leg skiing, Tess takes over her office, her apartment and even her wardrobe. She creates a deal with a handsome investment banker (Harrison Ford) that will either take her to the top, or finish her off for good.
The tale of a new breed of cultural insurgent: a punk genius (Jesse Eisenberg) who sparked a revolution and changed the face of human interaction for a generation, and perhaps forever.
(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio is Jordan Belfort and Matthew McConaughey is Mark Hanna in “The Wolf of Wall Street,’ from Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures.
A New York stockbroker (Leonardo DiCaprio) refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration. Based on Jordan Belfort’s autobiography.
When an office full of Chicago real estate salesmen is given the news that all but the top two will be fired at the end of the week, the atmosphere begins to heat up. Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), who has a sick daughter, does everything in his power to get better leads from his boss, John Williamson (Kevin Spacey), but to no avail. When his coworker Dave Moss (Ed Harris) comes up with a plan to steal the leads, things get complicated for the tough-talking salesmen. The cast also includes Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin and Jonathan Pryce.
When veteran anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives (Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, and Ned Beatty) rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.
A depressed white-collar worker (Ron Livingston) tries hypnotherapy, only to find himself in a perpetual state of devil-may-care bliss that prompts him to start living by his own rules, and hatch a hapless attempt to embezzle money from his soul-killing employers. The cast also includes Jennifer Aniston, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, and John C. McGinley.
(L to R) Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda in ‘Nine to Five.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Frank Hart (Dabney Coleman) is a pig. He takes advantage in the grossest manner of the women who work with him. When his three assistants (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton) manage to trap him in his own house they assume control of his department and productivity leaps, but just how long can they keep Hart tied up?
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.
He’ll play a man who becomes a social media vigilante.
Uwe Boll’s in the director’s chair.
There was a time when Armie Hammer was one of the hottest rising stars around. After a few years paying his dues, he scored a notable role in David Fincher’s ‘The Social Network’ playing (thanks to some effects trickery and an assist from Josh Pence) both entitled twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.
Then came the seeming flame-out. In February 2021, woman identified as Effie reported Hammer to the police, alleging that he had been physically abusive during an on-and-off relationship that spanned four years, and that he had violently raped her in 2017. Hammer vehemently denied her allegations.
Allegations against Hammer first exploded on social media via an Instagram account run by the initial accuser. Other women soon joined with their own allegations on social media, creating a flurry of viral headlines, including accusations of cannibalistic and BDSM fetishes that women said were used as a smokescreen for emotional and physical abuse.
Armie Hammer arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
It torpedoed Hammer’s career and the work began to dry up –– Disney went as far as minimizing his presence in trailers for 2022’s Poirot movie ‘Death on the Nile’ and he’s had little opportunities since, pleading poverty (despite coming from a very wealthy family) and saying he’s had to take jobs outside the industry.
But following a lengthy probe, Los Angeles prosecutors in 2023 declined to charge the actor with any crime, and now it appears he’s being offered acting roles again.
During a recent podcast interview, Hammer said that his acting career has picked up so much that he’s started to turn jobs down:
“My dance card’s getting pretty full. That first job that I turned down after four years of this shit, I mean, it was the best feeling I’ve ever had.”
Boll is putting together a new movie called ‘The Dark Knight’ –– no, nothing to do with Batman, though it shares some similar themes with DC’s brooding hero (and it’s a weird coincidence that one of Hammer’s pre-scandal jobs was as Batman in George Miller’s cancelled ‘Justice League’ movie.)
Armie Hammer in 2015’s ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Boll’s latest, based on his own script, will see Hammer playing a man named Sanders, who takes justice into his own hands as he sets out to hunt down criminals.
While his crusade transforms him into a social media sensation and a hero in the eyes of the public, the local police chief sees him as a menace to society and aims to take him down.
Here’s what Boll told Variety about the new film:
“The story of ‘The Dark Knight’ couldn’t be a more current topic, and I’m excited to bring it to life with this excellent cast.
Producer Michael Roesch, meanwhile, was quick to point out that they’re not making a Batman pic:
“Our movie is very different from Chris Nolan’s movie, so there is no danger of confusion.”
No, Batman is only the story of a man named Bruce Wayne, who takes justice into his own hands as he sets out to hunt down criminals. His (caped) crusade transforms him into a folk legend in the eyes of the public, but the police (beyond one friendly commissioner) aren’t always so sure. Completely different. Will “Sanders” have wonderful toys? The people demand to know.
Boll intends to start filming later this month in Croatia.
He’s a man who will go to any lengths to promote his work, including getting in the boxing ring to take on critics. His movies rarely seem to score great reviews, but he keeps on churning them out –– ‘The Dark Knight’ will mark his 37th film.
Though shooting is kicking off soon, Boll has yet to set a date –– or indeed a distribution home yet.
Armie Hammer arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Michael Baker / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
David Fincher on the set of ‘Mank’. Photo: Gisele Schmidt/Netflix.
Preview:
David Fincher is reportedly aboard a new western called ‘Bitterroot’.
Michael Gilio wrote the script, which appeared on the 2008 Black List
Netflix has yet to confirm Fincher’s attachment.
It’s fair to say that the Western is having a mixed time in terms of success at the moment. While Taylor Sheridan’s modern-day take on the genre ‘Yellowstone’ (and its period set prequels) have been doing great business, Kevin Costner (who effectively left the parent ‘Yellowstone’ series to pursue his passion project) has seen giant Western saga ‘Horizon’ stumble at the box office, with theatrical plans for the second film in the franchise currently on hold.
Despite that, it appears David Fincher may be ready to try his hand at an oater, with What’s On Netflix reporting that he’s on board for a Western called ‘Bitterroot.’
‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
Michael Gilio, who also wrote the script draft that got ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ into development, crafted ‘Bitterroot,’ which hit the 2008 Black List when it was originally titled ‘Big Hole.’
The movie’s premise apparently concerns an elderly rancher whose life savings have been stolen.
He sets out to get his money back by robbing banks and hunting down the thieves — all while being pursued by his son, who is the sheriff. Compelling, eh?!
Comparisons have been made to Clint Eastwood classic ‘Unforgiven,’ so even with the riskier marketplace, this is a script that will surely be mad at some point. And it’s perhaps not surprising that given its long lifespan in the Hollywood marketplace, there has been at least one previous attempt to bring it to screens. Blind Wink Productions and Aversano Films were working on it with Gilio on board to both write and direct and Gore Verbinski to produce back in 2011.
We’ll caution at this point that Netflix has yet to officially comment on the possibility, though this appears –– according to What’s On Netflix’s sources –– to be coming together quickly, with casting offers out to potential stars.
What else is Fincher developing?
(L to R) Gary Oldman and David Fincher on the set of ‘Mank’. Photo: Miles Crist/Netflix.
The ever-busy filmmaker, who last directed ‘The Killer’ for the streaming service, has a couple of other irons in the Netflix fire.
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There is a US version of ‘Squid Game’ that is awaiting approval from the company (budget issues are reportedly a sticking point, though you’ve got to imagine Netflix would look to get this made given the original series’ popularity).
And also? Fincher has been circling a ‘Chinatown’ prequel series that would follow the story before the classic movie.
On the movie front, the director has an untitled crime thriller at an early stage of development, but details are naturally scarce.
(L to R) David Fincher and Gary Oldman on the set of ‘Mank’. Photo: Miles Crist/Netflix.
(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.
On Netflix beginning November 10th, ‘The Killer’ marks David Fincher’s latest collaboration with the streaming service, a methodical revenge thriller that sees Michael Fassbender as the title figure, a man on a mission after his latest job goes awry.
As per usual with Fincher, this is as carefully constructed as its central character, though it might leave some wishing for a little more excitement in places.
The last time David Fincher shot something for big (and ultimately small, given Netflix’s cinema-then-server policy with its big movie scores), we got ‘Mank,’ which felt like something different for the director.
That one was bursting with huge personalities, a romantic storyline and a compelling if cynical love for old Hollywood. For ‘The Killer’ however, Fincher has dialed the needle back to his more usual stock-in trade, cold-blooded, full-power cynicism.
This is a man, after all, who made the likes of ‘Se7en’, ‘Fight Club’ and ‘The Social Network’, which all blended his rigorous approach to filmmaking with compelling characters at their heart. Michael Fassbender’s unnamed central figure here just about fits into that category with his various quirks and occupational theorizing –– you might find yourself, however wishing for something more to connect to.
‘The Killer’ reunites Fincher with one of his best collaborators, Andrew Kevin Walker, who wrote the screenplay for ‘Seven’. The pair relishes the chances to take another shot at poking around the darker, grubbier corners of life. Though their previous team-up focused on the law enforcement side of things, this new outing is firmly on the side of someone breaking the rules, albeit with his own strict code.
Walker’s script is precise and darkly funny in its way, primarily comprised of internal monologues from Fassbender’s fastidious assassin, who has several repeating mantras, including about anticipating not improvising, and how empathy is weakness.
While we spend most of our time with the character, there are the bursts of activity once his latest job goes bad and the repercussions hit close to home for him (though you do find yourself wondering why someone who seems to against connections in the world because of the baggage they bring was able to make some).
And as usual with David Fincher, the direction is beyond reproach, starkly color washed and full of interest in every frame. As Fassbender’s killer goes globe-trotting on his vengeful quest, we’re treated to some fantastic sights, including fancy restaurants and a billionaire’s very private (though not quite enough) penthouse.
He finds a way to bring the character’s world to life with his usual dark vibrancy, all metallic sheen and well-composed frames. Not a shot is wasted, and the craft at work is clear. The idea that the killer uses music from The Smiths to blot out the distractions of the world is an interesting one (perhaps, given his pessimistic worldview these days, Morrissey might even appreciate it) and adds another subtle layer of humor.
The director’s regular musical team Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross meanwhile, provide a subtle score that complements the visuals.
Michael Fassbender is at the core of this film, his dry (by choice and need) delivery of the killer’s monologues given just the right amount of snark. And when called upon to show his particular set of skills, the actor (who was lured out if a long break from acting for this juicy role) is more than up to the task, watchable when in silent preparation for an assassination or throwing down with a hulking henchman.
There’s also the chance for him to face off against some great actors, his encounter with Charles Parnell’s lawyer/boss/mentor figure one for the ages and, without giving too much away, involving creative use of a nail gun.
Tilda Swinton, meanwhile, is able to prove she’s still among the best, interacting with our man in more cerebral fashion, telling a solid joke about a hunter and a bear and ultimately coming across perfectly as someone who has found that putting their morals and ethics aside was surprisingly easy when the pay is right.
Elsewhere, the smaller roles are effectively filled, even as you mostly just view them in relation to Fassbender. As he tends to, the director has a good eye for interesting people in supporting roles, filling out the world in such a way as you believe it.
This new David Fincher movie will certainly please his regular fans, even if it doesn’t always quite live up to the standards of previous work. There’s a cold aloofness here that might also turn off more casual viewers (though if you’re sitting down to watch a movie called ‘The Killer’, you likely know what you’re in for).
The opening segment (the movie is split into neatly organized chapters, which would surely appeal to the persnickety pistol packer) at its heart is entertaining but does require a patience level as high as our antihero, since it truly takes its time to get to the point.
Still, if we can’t have more ‘Mindhunter’ on Netflix, at least it’s reassuring to know that David Fincher is keeping busy, and this also represents a welcome return for Michael Fassbender. Completely on target? Not always, but certainly well aimed for the most part.
‘The Killer’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘The Killer’?
An unnamed man in unremarkable clothes, The Killer (Michael Fassbender) watches from the floor of an empty office, across from the plush apartment of his target, rifle at hand. Measured, controlled, he takes every step to ensure the job goes flawlessly…
It doesn’t.
The Killer flees, following his strict personal mantra of dispassionate action. But his employers want him erased. By attacking his home, they disturb his sanctuary and, with it, his sense of self. This – he will not abide, traveling through the Dominican Republic and the United States, eliminating anyone who might disrupt his hard-won peace again.
For an artist whose work seems to have been inspired by a lot of unhappy feelings, Trent Reznor has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success. The musician and artist established himself in the late 1980s and 90s with the singular and hugely influential group Nine Inch Nails, which led to becoming a producer for other artists, and eventually, an inspiration to filmmakers. Unsurprisingly, that led to a new direction for his career, composing music directly for the films of auteurs like David Fincher and Ken Burns. To commemorate his 54th birthday on May 17, Moviefone takes a look at his movie and television-related work that have become part of the pop cultural firmament.
Reznor had already become a fixture in the musical landscape by 1994 when he was hired by Oliver Stone to create a backdrop for the director’s film about a pair of serial killers who become media darlings. Though he created only one original track for the soundtrack, he produced the rest of the soundtrack album, suggesting to Stone an album that was mirrored the film’s unique editing style as a “collage of sound,” featuring everything from hip-hop to world music.
Reznor’s second produced soundtrack was for David Lynch, who enlisted him to weave together a score by longtime Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti with classic bossa nova, electro industrial rock, and of course a handful of tracks from the NIN frontman himself, including the stone cold classic “The Perfect Drug” (which Reznor finally started performing live just recently).
It was almost a decade and a half before Reznor ventured into proper film composition, sparking a collaboration with creative confederate Atticus Ross that would continue throughout the rest of his career. Juggling moody ambient pieces with more propulsive, dance floor adjacent tracks, he captures the feverish energy of Fincher’s story of how Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook.
Reznor wasted no time jumping right back into an incredibly fruitful partnership with Fincher on his adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s bestseller of the same name. In the same family as his “Social Network” score but decidedly more ominous, Reznor’s music provided the perfect accompaniment for this twisted, sometimes violently sadistic murder mystery.
Reznor’s third score for Fincher is, like the film it accompanies, an exercise in misdirection, as the perspectives of Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) fight to tell a fractured truth. Reznor’s textured, ambient music evokes the likes of Brian Eno as he hints at both a fairytale romance and a brutally dysfunctional marriage.
Peter Berg’s film about the Boston Marathon bombing needed little emotional amplification from a score, which may account for why Reznor’s themes are much lighter and more delicate than some of his other work. He nevertheless captures the haunting loss of that tragic incident and the chaos that ensued in its wake.
PBS
“The Vietnam War” (2017)
Ken Burns’ documentaries are always so thoughtful and detailed that they require the exact right music to make them a riveting experience. Drawing not upon the music of the era but his own instincts, Reznor and Ross offer some thoughtful melancholy music to represent the political morass that America got itself into, and eventually, the personal tragedy of lives destroyed and lost as a consequence of the country’s crisis of leadership.
A24
“Mid90s” (2018) – Reznor only created a handful of tracks for Jonah Hill’s directorial debut (totally around 15 minutes), the story of a skateboarding-obsessed kid who comes of age among his peers. Reznor skillfully flirts with a sense of limitless optimism and also the melancholy onset of maturity as Hill’s protagonist goes through formative moments that prepare him for adulthood — sometimes way before he should be ready.
Director Susanne Bier does an incredible job making this Sandra Bullock film’s premise — a force that makes people go insane and commit suicide — feel believable and real. But it’s Reznor and Ross’ work on the score that solidifies the increasingly unsettling feeling audiences have as they discover what’s happening, and are forced to watch Bullock’s character try and figure out how to fight back against an enemy that she cannot see and doesn’t know how to defeat.
