Aaron Sorkin explains why David Fincher did not direct The Social Reckoning

Aaron Sorkin is going back to the story of Facebook, and this time he is also the director. The writer of The Social Network is directing The Social Reckoning, which opens in theatres on October 9. Sorkin has now explained why David Fincher, who directed The Social Network, did not come back for the new film.

In a recent interview, Sorkin said he was only his own second choice for the job. His first pick was Fincher. The problem was Fincher's exclusive deal with Netflix, which stopped him from taking on the project.

Sorkin said the timing mattered to him too. Even if Fincher had somehow got Netflix's permission to make a film at Sony, Sorkin did not want the movie to arrive a year after the midterm elections. He felt people would no longer be in the mood by then, and he wanted the film out now.

Fincher still played a part. Sorkin sent him the script as soon as it was finished, so Fincher was the first person to read it. Sorkin said Fincher has backed the project warmly all along and felt the film would not be hard to make. He also said everyone had simply assumed Jesse would return to play Zuckerberg.

The film is based on the events behind The Facebook Files, a newspaper investigation published in 2021. It tells the true story of Frances Haugen, played by Mikey Madison, a young Facebook engineer who asks reporter Jeff Horwitz, played by Jeremy Allen White, for help. Together they set out on a risky path that ends with the social network's best kept secrets being exposed.

Jeremy Strong reportedly plays Mark Zuckerberg in the film. Reports also say Sony Pictures Entertainment India will release it in Indian theatres on the same date, in English only.