A Sequel to the Popular Movie About Social Media is on the Horizon
A decade and a half after the release of the film that focused on the birth of one of the world's biggest social media platforms, a sequel is in the works. The movie, titled "The Social Reckoning", is set to hit the big screen in six years.
The actor who originally portrayed the founder of the social media platform won't be returning this time around. Instead, the role will be filled by Jeremy Strong, an actor known for his serious demeanor and dedication to fully embodying his characters. Those familiar with his work will know him from his role as Kendall Roy in a popular television series.
Focusing on Recent Controversies
Unlike the original movie, the sequel won't be a continuation of the previous story. Instead, it will focus on a recent controversy involving a former employee of the social media company, Frances Haugen. The role of Haugen will be played by actress Mikey Madison. Haugen made headlines when she leaked a large amount of internal documents to a journalist, who will be portrayed by Jeremy Allen White in the film.
Haugen's claims against the company were serious, stating that they were more interested in making money than protecting their users. Among the most shocking claims were that the company knew their platform, specifically their photo-sharing app, was negatively impacting the mental health of teenage girls.
She also stated that the platform was contributing to ethnic violence in Ethiopia due to their lack of moderation efforts for non-English content. The documents leaked by Haugen revealed that out of the company's budget for reducing misinformation, 87% was spent on English language content, even though English speakers only formed 9% of the user base.
Not Always a Fan
The founder of the social media platform, who will be portrayed by Strong in the sequel, has always had a bit of a contentious relationship with the original film. At one point, he mentioned in an interview that he had watched the movie with other employees of the company. He found it strange how the film got certain details about his life right, but misrepresented his motivations and the overall narrative of his journey.
He stated, "It was weird, man." He noted that the filmmakers had captured minute details such as his clothing, but had gotten his entire motivation and the story arc wrong.
The social media company, which was rebranded shortly after Haugen exposed them, has always been critical of how the original film portrayed the creation of the platform. With this sequel, it remains to be seen how they will react to the new narrative focusing on recent controversies.