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Aaron Sorkin is returning for a sequel to his Oscar-winning film, “The Social Network.”
A source familiar with the project confirmed to Business Insider that Sorkin will work with Sony Pictures to write and direct “The Social Network Part II,” inspired by The Wall Street Journal’s 2021 investigative series, The Facebook Files. The entertainment news platform Deadline was the first to report on the sequel.
While the 2010 film chronicled Facebook’s founding, the source confirmed to BI that the new sequel will examine the tech giant’s societal impact on youth mental health and misinformation and touch on the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Sorkin, who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for the original film, will write and direct the new installment. Sorkin, Todd Black, Peter Rice, and Stuart Besser are also producers on the project.
The first “The Social Network,” directed by David Fincher, was a critical and commercial hit. It grossed over $226 million globally and won three Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film also launched careers for Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Armie Hammer. Eisenberg earned an Oscar nomination for portraying Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Since its release, Sorkin has floated the idea of a follow-up on multiple occasions, but no details ever materialized. Sorkin also said in April that he blames “Facebook for January 6” during an interview with journalist Matt Belloni on “The Town” podcast.
The Journal’s Facebook Files series is based on thousands of pages of internal documents leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former product manager at Facebook.
The documents obtained by The Journal revealed that Facebook (now Meta) knew about the harmful effects of its platforms, including Instagram, and downplayed the negative consequences.
Sorkin’s recent directing credits include “Molly’s Game,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7″, and “Being the Ricardos.”
Casting is still in early stages, and the production timeline has yet to be finalized, but momentum could pick up fast with the film’s coveted roles. It is also unclear whether Eisenberg will return.
Sorkin, Meta, Black, Rice, Besser, and Eisenberg did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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