The writer-director says Fincher’s exclusive deal with Netflix was part of why he was unavailable
Aaron Sorkin both wrote and directed “The Social Reckoning,” but he initially hoped his second film about Facebook would reunite him with his “Social Network” director David Fincher. Sorkin shared that he even sent Fincher a script while working on the film for Sony Pictures, despite knowing an arrangement would be a long shot given Fincher’s exclusivity deal with Netflix.
“I was my second choice to direct it,” Sorkin said, speaking to IndieWire on the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast. “I wanted David to direct it, but (he) couldn’t. … (He) was the first person to read the script for ‘Social Reckoning,’ and we met the next morning. He’s been a very enthusiastic support person, and he was talking about how it’s not going to be hard to do this movie.”
Along with Fincher’s contract with Netflix, Sorkin also shared that he took on directing duties because he felt an urgent need to get “The Social Reckoning” produced and released ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“Even if he could have somehow gotten Netflix’s permission to go work at Sony, I didn’t want ‘The Social Reckoning’ to come out a year after the midterm elections,” Sorkin said. “I didn’t think we were going to be in the mood anymore. I wanted it to come out now.”
Releasing Oct. 9, “The Social Reckoning” unfolds from 2019 to 2021, dramatizing the Facebook leak by whistleblower Frances Haugen and journalist Jeff Horwitz. Jeremy Strong plays Mark Zuckerberg, replacing Jesse Eisenberg after the actor was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in “The Social Network.” The film explores Facebook’s role in spreading misinformation and touches upon the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Running parallel to “The Social Reckoning” Fincher has been busy directing his own sequel: “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” a “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” follow-up written by Quentin Tarantino. First reported to be in development back in 2024, the Brad Pitt vehicle will get an exclusive Imax release from Netflix in November before debuting on the streamer in December.
