The Social Reckoning, also known as The Social Network Part II, is still in current development, with Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin serving as screenwriter and director. Jeremy Strong, known for his remarkable role in the HBO Max drama Succession, will take on the role of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, previously played by Jesse Eisenberg. Though it seems like a weird replacement, it is also a reality that Sorkin is likely planning an indirect follow-up with a different spirit and tone. Strong has addressed these possible changes, saying that audiences should be prepared for a unique portrayal of the famous and controversial technology mogul.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner was a guest at the Academy Museum Gala this past Saturday. Strong was coy about the plot, though it has been revealed that the sequel will focus on whistleblower Frances Haugen teaming up with reporter Jeff Horwitz to expose Facebook and much of its nefarious dynamics. What the actor did talk about was his rendering of the character previously played by Eisenberg in an Academy Award-nominated performance.
When asked if he had taken inspiration or even talked to the previous Zuckerberg actor, Strong quickly said no, and confirmed his portrayal of the character would be entirely different: “No, I think that has nothing to do with what I’m going to do.” Strong continued, teasing Sorkin’s treatment as “one of the great scripts” he has ever read:
“It’s one of the great scripts I’ve ever read. It speaks to our time, it touches the third rail of everything happening in our world. It’s a great character — fascinating, complex — and I’m approaching it with great care and empathy and objectivity. I’ve made two films with Aaron [with The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Molly’s Game] and third time’s the charm.”
‘The Social Network 2’ Is a Bizarre Follow-Up, But There’s Too Much Chaos To Ignore
It’s very rare for Hollywood to produce sequels to movies that are based on real-life events. That is why the announcement for The Social Reckoning was a bit strange, as people kept thinking about the potential material for the film. The first film was based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, but Sorkin’s script for the sequel will be partially based on Jeff Horwitz’s Wall Street Journal series “The Facebook Files.”
Years ago, Sorkin said that “dramatic stuff has happened since the movie ends,” and more recently, it was rumored that his version of the sequel would focus on the 2021 U.S. Capitol attacks. In any case, The Social Network Part II, as a continuation of a previous narrative, sounds bizarre. But Zuckerberg’s association with part of the country’s chaos is too heavy to ignore.
The first film portrayed him as a fueling factor amid the zeitgeist of social networking. The sequel will surely see Zuckerberg getting a direct spot on the roster of public figures that have negatively affected society with greed and controversial political stances.