Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning has its U.S. premiere on Sunday at the Regal Union Square in New York City, following its international premieres held in late September in cities that included London and Paris, and now the first reactions have finally hit social media. The film serves as a companion piece to 2010’s The Social Network, a film directed by David Fincher with Sorkin serving as its screenwriter.
The Social Network dove into the founding of the popular social networking website Facebook, and it went on to be heralded as one of the best films of the 2010s and the 21st century, grossing $225 million worldwide on a $40 million budget and earning eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Does The Social Reckoning live up to its predecessor? Or is it destined to linger in its shadow? Let’s check out what the first reactions are saying!
What Are The First Reactions Saying?
The first reactions to The Social Reckoning range from positive to mixed, but given the pedigree of the first film, it appears that the follow-up still offers a compelling and timely piece, though without the masterpiece aesthetic that made The Social Network an instant classic. Some reactions call it a good but not great sequel, but one that still resonates because the issues it discusses about Facebook are a topic of conversation today.
Some call the film a bit of a slow burn with a more investigative tone, but it does build to a boiling point as it reaches its climax. Other reactions say nothing about the film is subtle, but Sorkin’s intentions make the message all the more important, especially as he gets into the issue of free speech and how culpable Facebook has been regarding its murkier practices. Sorkin’s direction and pacing take a bit of a hit when compared to Fincher’s, but the impact of the story makes up for some of those shortcomings.
As for the performances, Oscar winner Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White are receiving positive notices but Jeremy Strong, with rather limited screentime, is being described as ferocious as Mark Zuckerberg. You can check out some of the first reactions below!
What Is The Social Reckoning About?
Written and directed by Sorkin, The Social Reckoning serves as a companion piece to The Social Network and dramatizes the 2021 Facebook leak initiated by whistleblower Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison) and investigative technology reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White), which showed that Facebook was aware of the harmful societal effects of its platforms but insisted on prioritizing profits over addressing how harmful some of these practices were. The film also stars Jeremy Strong, Bill Burr, Betty Gilpin, Billy Magnussen, and Wunmi Mosaku.
Sorkin originally had interest in doing a follow-up to The Social Network if Fincher chose to return to direct the project, but Sorkin ultimately stepped in as writer and director when the film entered development in 2025. Jesse Eisenberg, who portrayed Zuckerberg in The Social Network, a role that earned him an Oscar nomination, expressed early interest in returning for a sequel, but by 2025, the actor declined to return because, alongside a slew of other reasons, he had outgrown the role. Sorkin was surprised, initially, by Eisenberg not returning, but he ultimately understood. The director said, “I felt like it belonged to him, and he was certainly battle-tested, but he simply did not want to be conflated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore…he has his problems with the guy.”
The Social Reckoning hits screens nationwide this Friday.
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