The Social Network, the 2010 film that chronicled the founding of Facebook, is set to receive a sequel.
Oscar-winning writer Aaron Sorkin will write the script and direct the follow-up, according to Deadline, with a focus on Facebook’s more recent controversies.
In particular, Sorkin is said to be centering the story on events detailed in The Wall Street Journal’s The Facebook Files, which revealed leaked documents indicating the social network was aware of the societal harms its algorithms were fueling.
Sorkin has previously argued that Facebook played a role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, though Deadline sources emphasize this sequel won’t be exclusively about January 6. It will also explore social media’s impact on younger users and people outside the U.S.While Sorkin seems to have a narrative in mind, the project remains in early stages, with no casting yet confirmed. Will Jesse Eisenberg reprise his role as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg? Sorkin has considered a sequel for some time, and Eisenberg has previously voiced interest.
"Oh, yeah," Eisenberg told IndieWire in 2019 when asked if he’d return to the role. "Playing a compelling character in a widely seen film is incredibly rare. This was a chance to portray a complex figure—someone you’d typically see in theater or an indie film—but on a massive scale. For me, that was a rare gift."
