Aaron Sorkin writes sequel to 'The Social Network' about polarization algorithm

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Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin has confirmed his plans to write a sequel to his acclaimed drama. Social networkexamines the origins of Facebook, which will focus on the social media platform's impact on American democracy.

On a recent episode of the Entertainment Business Podcast Cityrecorded live in Washington, D.C., Sorkin told Matthew Bellone and Peter Hamby, “Look, yeah, I'm going to write about this. I blame Facebook for January 6.”

When asked to explain how the project dealt with the events of that fateful day, which saw a mob of supporters of then-US President Donald Trump storming the US Capitol, he said matter-of-factly: “You're going to need to buy a movie ticket.”

However, Sorkin shared that he was “trying” to break the project down as a film specifically. “Facebook has, among other things, fine-tuned its algorithm to promote the most divisive material, because that's what's going to increase engagement. That's what's going to get you into what they call inside the halls of Facebook, 'the endless scroll,'” Sorkin said. “There's supposed to be a constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity. There isn't; there's only growth.”

Sources close to Sorkin confirm that this project is in the “very, very early stages” and is unrelated to a previous January 6 project he talked about making, which is no longer active.

Sorkin has repeatedly hinted at the possibility social network Sequel in recent years, saying Happy, sad, confused podcast in 2020 that he intended to examine “the dark side of Facebook” but asserted “I wouldn't write it unless… [original filmmaker David Fincher] He guides him. If Billy Wilder came back from the grave and said he wanted to direct the movie, I'd say I'd just do it with David.

Sorkin teased the project again in a 2021 interview with Deadline. “There's no doubt that there's a story. Whether you want to call it a sequel or not, there's a story there,” the writer said. “Whether you're the one to tell me that or not, I'm not sure. What I mean is that right now, as we speak, I won't be able to write. I don't quite know how to tell the story, and I think it's also probably something I wouldn't want to do without David Fincher.

Inspired by Ben Mazrich's book Billionaires by chancethe original social network I delved into the founding of Facebook and the legal battles that followed. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer and others, the film grossed more than $224 million worldwide and won several Academy Awards, including one for Sorkin in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.