Is Aaron Sorkin penning the 'Social Network' sequel? He confirms
Acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin recently hinted at a potential sequel to his 2010 blockbuster, The Social Network. During an episode of The Town podcast, Sorkin shared his intentions, stating, "Look, yeah, I'll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6." He did not elaborate on the accusation against Facebook regarding the US Capitol attack but suggested that details would be revealed in the proposed film. "You're going to need to buy a movie ticket."
Sorkin hints at sequel's focus on Facebook's recent nationwide influence
Sorkin's comments suggest that the sequel may explore Facebook's recent influence, particularly its impact on US democracy. Pressed further about whether he's developing this idea specifically for a movie, Sorkin elaborated, "I'm trying." "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'..."
'A constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity...'
Further, the screenwriter emphasized, "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 $120B that you can't buy for 119B 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."
Sorkin is currently crafting a script: Report
Insiders have confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Sorkin is currently crafting a script for The Social Network sequel. However, they also emphasized that the project is still in its early stages and does not yet have a studio partner. Further, they clarified that this script is separate from an earlier one about the January 6 incident, which Sorkin had started but did not continue.
Context: What happened on January 6, 2021?
On January 6, internal messages from Facebook staffers revealed their horror as they witnessed thousands of Donald Trump (former US President) supporters chanting "stop the steal" and displaying symbols associated with QAnon—an extremist ideology that had previously proliferated on Facebook before facing restrictions—surging toward the US Capitol. Amid the chaos, many breached the building and engaged in clashes in an attempt to disrupt the constitutionally mandated certification of President Joe Biden's election victory.
When Sorkin expressed interest in writing a sequel
Sorkin has previously expressed interest in writing a sequel to The Social Network, focusing on "the dark side" of Facebook. However, he has stipulated that he would only proceed if David Fincher—the director of the original film—returns for the sequel. In 2020, Sorkin stated unequivocally, "People have been talking to me about [a sequel] because of what we've discovered...Do I want to write that movie? Yeah, I do. I will only write it if [David] directs it.
