The Social Network

The Social Network is a 2010 American biographical drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. The film tells the story of how Facebook was started. It is based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. The movie stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, the person who created Facebook. Other actors play his friends and people who helped him, such as Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin and Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker.

Making the movie began when Aaron Sorkin agreed to write the script. Filming started in October of that year in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and later scenes were filmed in Los Angeles and Pasadena in California. The music was made by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross from the band Nine Inch Nails.

The movie was shown for the first time at the New York Film Festival on September 24, 2010, and then released in theaters in the United States on October 1. It became very popular and made a lot of money. Many critics said it was one of the best movies of the year. It won several important awards, including for its writing, music, and editing. Even today, the film is remembered as one of the best movies of the 2010s and is kept safe in the United States National Film Registry because it is very important to culture and history.

Plot

The film shows the early days of creating Facebook through two court cases. In one case, Mark Zuckerberg is being sued by his friend Eduardo Saverin, and in the other, he is being sued by twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.

It begins in 2003 when 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg, a student at Harvard University, creates a website called Facemash after breaking up with his girlfriend. This website lets people rate photos of female students, which causes some trouble at Harvard. Later, Zuckerberg and Saverin start a new website called TheFacebook just for Harvard students. It becomes very popular, and they expand it to other schools like Yale, Columbia, and Stanford. Saverin helps with the business side, but things get complicated when another student, Sean Parker, joins and suggests renaming it to Facebook. Saverin feels treated unfairly and eventually gets removed from the company. Both he and the Winklevoss twins decide to sue Zuckerberg, but the cases are settled without going to court. In the end, Zuckerberg becomes very wealthy from Facebook.

Cast

The film features many talented actors. Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook. Andrew Garfield acts as Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg's friend and partner. Justin Timberlake appears as Sean Parker, an early employee of Facebook.

Other actors include Armie Hammer as Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, twins who competed with Zuckerberg. Max Minghella plays Divya Narendra, another friend involved in the early days of Facebook. The cast also includes Brenda Song, Rashida Jones, and many more talented performers.

Production

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin was drawn to the film's story because it explored timeless themes like friendship, loyalty, and power, even though it was about Facebook. He began working on the screenplay after reading an early draft of Ben Mezrich's book The Accidental Billionaires.

Casting started in mid-2009, with Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, and Andrew Garfield announced for main roles. Filming began in October 2009 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, using campuses of schools like Phillips Academy and Milton Academy to look like Harvard. Some scenes were also filmed at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The soundtrack was created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who later won an award for their work.

Marketing

Poster

The first poster for the movie was released on June 18, 2010. The designer used a single photo of the actor playing Mark Zuckerberg and created a tagline about making friends and having enemies. The poster’s design was praised for being unique and striking.

Trailers

The first small preview clip for the movie came out on June 25, 2010, followed by another preview in July. The full trailer debuted on July 16, 2010, and featured a song performed by a choir group. This trailer was shown before several other movies in theaters and later won an award for best trailer in 2011.

Release

The Social Network premiered at the New York Film Festival on September 24, 2010.

Box office

The film was released in theaters in the United States on the weekend of October 1–3, 2010. It debuted at No. 1, grossing $22.4 million in 2,771 theaters. The film stayed at the top spot in its second weekend, dropping only 31.2%. By the end of its run, the film grossed $97 million in the United States and $128 million in other territories, totaling $224.9 million worldwide.

Critical reception

The Social Network received widespread critical acclaim. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 335 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 95 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim".

Reviewers praised the film's writing, direction, and performances. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times named it the best film of the year. The film's editing and music also received positive comments.

The Social Network appeared on many top-ten lists of the best films of 2010. In 2016, it was voted the 27th-best film of the 21st century by the BBC.

Home media

The Social Network was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 11, 2011 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The DVD and Blu-ray releases include audio commentaries, a documentary, and several featurettes. The film was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray in October 2021.

Accolades

Main article: List of accolades received by The Social Network

The Social Network received many awards and nominations. It won the Best Motion Picture – Drama Golden Globe at the 68th Golden Globe Awards on January 16, 2011. The film also won awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score.

The film was nominated for several British Academy Film Awards and won three, including Best Editing and Best Direction. It was also nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score. The film won Best Picture from several film critics groups, making it only the third film in history to achieve this honor.

Historical accuracy

The movie The Social Network was written based on a book about the start of Facebook. Some people thought it was very funny, while others felt it wasn't true to real life. Mark Zuckerberg, the real person the movie is about, said the movie made him look like he partied a lot, but in truth he was mostly working hard. He did like that they got his clothes right! Other people who helped start Facebook said the movie left out many important facts and made some things up for drama. They felt the movie was more about telling a good story than being completely accurate. Some viewers thought the movie didn't show the real problems with the legal system that happened when people argued over who owned Facebook. Overall, many felt the movie was more entertainment than a true story.

Legacy

Since its release, The Social Network has inspired many people to start their own businesses and get involved in social media. Some say the movie made people feel like they could build something big, just like the characters in the film. Even the real person the movie is based on, Mark Zuckerberg, talked about how the film might encourage new entrepreneurs.

Over the years, critics and fans have continued to praise The Social Network. It has been named one of the best films of the 2010s by many famous reviewers. Some compare it to classic movies, saying it captures the spirit of our times, especially with how social media has changed the world. The movie’s writing, directing, and acting have all been highly praised, and it remains a important and thought-provoking film today.

Main articles: List of accolades received by The Social Network, The Accidental Billionaires Further information: David Fincher filmography, Aaron Sorkin bibliography

Future

Main article: The Social Reckoning

In January 2019, the writer of the movie, Aaron Sorkin, shared that they were thinking about making a sequel. In October 2020, Sorkin said he would only write the sequel if the same director returned. By April 2024, Sorkin was working on a script tied to important events that happened in the United States.

In June 2025, it was announced that a sequel called The Social Network Part II was being developed. By September 2025, the sequel's title was changed to The Social Reckoning, set to be released in October 2026. Some actors were in talks to join the film, including Jeremy Strong to play a character based on Mark Zuckerberg, Mikey Madison as Frances Haugen, and Jeremy Allen White as Jeff Horwitz. Early filming began in Vancouver in October 2025.