Mark Zuckerberg Hated 'The Social Network' Film: Don't Tell Him A Sequel Is Coming

A new film about Meta Platforms META is in the works. Here's why Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg might not be happy about seeing his company on the big screen.

What Happened: A sequel to the 2010 film "The Social Network," which Zuckerberg was highly critical of, is in the works.

Tentatively titled "The Social Network Part II," the film comes from the Sony Group Corp SONY unit of Sony Pictures, according to a report from Deadline. According to the report, the film will not be a straight sequel, but rather a follow-up to the first film.

Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for the first film, is returning to write the screenplay and direct the film. David Fincher, who directed the first film, is not mentioned in the report on the sequel.

While the first film was based on the book "The Accidental Millionaires" by Ben Mezrich, the new movie will focus on the story "The Facebook Files" from the Wall Street Journal. That story exposed the inner workings of Facebook and the potential harm it has done.

Sorkin has been vocal about wanting to do a follow-up to the hit 2010 movie; now it appears he’s found his angle with "The Facebook Files."

The writer and director also said in an interview last year that he believes Facebook played a role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The new film won't focus solely on Jan. 6 or the 2020 election. It will also examine the potential harmful impact of Facebook on teenagers and preteens.

Todd Black, Peter Rice, Stuart Besser and Sorkin will produce the film. A production date has not been announced, with Sorkin likely working on casting first.

It is unknown if Jesse Eisenberg, who played Zuckerberg in the 2010 film, will return for the follow-up movie.

Are you buying when the CEOs of the Magnificent 7 are selling?

Stay in the know with our Insider Trades page — see when leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang are offloading their own shares.

Why It's Important: The 2010 film focused on the early days of Facebook’s creation. It examined several disputes, including those between Zuckerberg and key figures in the company’s early days, such as the Winklevoss twins and Eduardo Saverin.

Zuckerberg has criticized that film on several occasions, saying it had many inaccuracies.

"It's interesting what stuff they focused on getting right; like, every single shirt and fleece that I had in that movie is actually a shirt or fleece that I own. So there's all this stuff that they got wrong and a bunch of random details that they got right," Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg may be even more concerned about the second movie as it will center on a report that sheds a negative light on the social media company.

"The Social Network" grossed $97 million domestically and $225 million globally, according to BoxOfficeMojo.

The film won three Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including top categories like Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Eisenberg.

Meta Platforms’ stock is up 233% over the last five years. Shareholders will closely watch the timing of the movie release to see if the film could harm the company's brand and share price.

Read Next: