Sorkin to Write ‘Social Network’ Sequel Once Fincher Agrees to Direct, Shares Rave ‘Mank’ Review

Aaron Sorkin went on record in January 2019 saying the time had come to script a sequel to Oscar winner “The Social Network,” and now he reveals he’s ready to put pen to paper as soon as filmmaker David Fincher agrees to direct the follow-up project. Speaking to MTV’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast to promote his Netflix film “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Sorkin confirmed he wants to see a “Social Network” sequel in development in the future.

“I do want to see it. And [producer Scott Rudin] wants to see it,” Sorkin said. “People have been talking to me about it because of what we’ve discovered is the dark side of Facebook. Do I want to write that movie? Yeah I do. I will only write it if David directs it. If Billy Wilder came back from the grave and said he wanted to direct it, I’d say I’d only do it with David.”

Sorkin won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay thanks to his work on the original “Social Network,” which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. The screenwriter said he recently met with Roger McNamee to discuss the follow-up movie. McNamee is a former investor in Facebook and the author of the 2019 book “Zucked,” which takes a critical view of “Facebook” founder Mark Zuckerberg and CEO Sheryl Sandberg. Sorkin also discussed with McNamee Facebook’s alarming activity regarding politics.

“Sandberg and Zuckerberg seem uninterested in doing anything about it,” Sorkin said. “This all ends up with McNamee in a Senate basement secure conference room briefing Senate Intelligence subcommittee members on how Facebook is bringing down democracy, [saying], ‘We have a huge problem here and something needs to be done about it.'”

Both Sorkin and Fincher have Netflix awards contenders on their hands this season thanks to “Chicago 7” (streaming October 16) and “Mank” (streaming December 4). Whether or not a “Social network” sequel follows these projects remains to be seen. For the record, Sorkin has watched “Mank” and has nothing but raves for Fincher.

“It’s so freaking good,” Sorkin said of “Mank.” “Written by [Fincher’s] dad, who is a brilliant screenwriter. But David has directed this movie just magnificently. It’s breathtaking even by David Fincher standards. Gary Oldman gives an amazing performance, so does Lily Collins, and so does Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies.”

Head over to the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast to listen to Sorkin’s full interview.

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