In 2010, an American biographical drama titled The Social Network, portrayed the founding of the social networking website Facebook. The tech-industry drama focused on the rise of Mark Zuckerberg, the creation of Facebook, and the lawsuits and disputes involving the company's early days. Rather than being a traditional business success story, the film "explored themes of ambition, friendship, betrayal, and power in the digital age".
It is now getting a sequel. Titled The Social Reckoning, the companion piece is based on the events that gave rise to the Wall Street Journal's expose known as The Facebook Files in 2021. The film centers on Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), a young Facebook engineer, who teams up with WSJ reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White) on a risky mission to blow the whistle on the social network's most guarded secrets.
The Facebook Files exposed Facebook for its "harmful effects on teens and its knowing proliferation of misinformation", which contributed to acts of political violence. Jeremy Strong plays Mark Zuckerberg. The supporting cast also includes Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, Billy Magnussen, and Bill Burr.
The reactions to the film's trailer are largely positive but also negative to a limited extent. "The Social Reckoning really has everything. An amazing cast, particularly. However, Aaron Sorkin’s bland and overwritten direction might ruin all of this," a netizen commented.
The Social Reckoning will open exclusively in theaters on October 9.
