Potential Social Network sequel to address pro-Donald Trump mob storming US Capitol: Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin is penning a potential Social Network sequel: ‘I Blame Facebook for Jan 6.’
Aaron Sorkin is embarking on a new creative journey with a story that could possibly clock in as the sequel to the 2010 mega-hit The Social Network. Confirming the news during a live session of The Town podcast, the Oscar-winning screenwriter spilled the beans on how his new project was all about Facebook impacting democracy.
“I'll be writing about this… I blame Facebook for January 6,” Sorkin told Matthew Belloni and Peter Hamby, addressing the storming of the Capitol in 2021.
When asked why he thought Facebook's algorithm was indispensable in radicalising pro-Trump supporters to attack the US Capitol, Sorkin replied: “You're going to need to buy a movie ticket.”
Is Social Network 2 on the cards?
The acclaimed David Fincher directorial won Aaron the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2011. Per Sorkin's take on the matter, he's definitely “trying" to cook up a movie about Facebook promoting the “most divisive material possible," which, in turn, is often responsible for increasing engagement.
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In the process, he seeks to address the familiar territory of social media mobilising people while twisting the foundations of democracy.
“There's supposed to be a constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity. There isn't. It's just growth,” Sorkin added.
Elaborating further and pinning the blame on the Facebook CEO, Sorkin said, "If Mark Zuckerberg woke up tomorrow morning and realized there is nothing you can buy for $120 billion that you can’t buy for $119 billion dollars, ‘So how about if I make a little bit less money? I will tune up integrity and tune down growth.’ Yes, you can do that by switching a one to a zero.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, insiders close to Sorkin confirmed this Friday that he was supposedly working on a spiritual Social Network sequel, which is merely kicking into motion. The alleged film isn't tied to any studio partner as of now.
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Previously, Sorkin was brewing another Jan 6 script, but all actions associated with it seemed to have halted. It remains unclear if the inactive project's inspirations are being transferred to the new script, but they've been reported to be their own thing.
Additionally, Sorkin has been particularly intrigued by what's been happening with Facebook and deemed it a “story very much worth telling.” The supposed initial drafts of the said Social Network sequel were reportedly about Facebook's “dark side.” In 2020, he expressed his keen desire to write the movie, but only if David Fincher would board the project as a director (Happy Sad Confused podcast).
As far as his comments regarding Trump are concerned, Sorkin called out the upcoming US election being about “Trump vs not-Trump," voicing his concerned claims about pro-Palestine protestors' demonstration at the Democratic National Convention in August possibly leading to the ex-president's re-election.
