The sequel, set to be filmed years later, to The Social Network, which was released in 2010 and depicts the founding of Facebook, will feature a different actor as Mark Zuckerberg. Jesse Eisenberg, who played Zuckerberg in the first film, declined the offer. It has been announced that Jeremy Strong, known for his performance in the television series Succession, will replace Eisenberg.

Jeremy Strong stars in the film

The film’s script is written by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote the first installment. This time, Sorkin is also directing, and is shaping the project from beginning to end. David Fincher directed the first film but will not be working on the sequel. The Social Network 2 will be Sorkin’s fourth film in his directorial career, which began with Molly’s Game.

Unlike the first film, which depicts Facebook’s founding, the film will depict a period in which public perception of the company significantly shifted. The script is based on a series of articles published by The Wall Street Journal in 2021, The Facebook Files, which provide striking details about the company’s inner workings. The film will focus on the emergence of these files and their aftermath.

Jeremy Allen White, who made a splash with his series The Bear, will play Jeff Horowitz, the journalist behind The Facebook Files. Mikey Madison, who won the Best Actress Oscar this year for Anora, will portray Horowitz’s insider, a woman known as his source. In addition to Madison and White, other casting details are expected to be announced later.

The casting of Jeremy Strong isn’t just a casting change. Strong’s experience playing tougher, more subdued, and more repressed characters, in contrast to Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of a young and socially distant Zuckerberg, suggests the film’s tone will be different from the original.