Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning has struggled to attract moviegoers during its opening weekend in North America. The follow-up to the Oscar-winning The Social Network earned an estimated $5.5 million domestically.
The film stars Jeremy Strong as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Mikey Madison as Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, and Jeremy Allen White as Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz. Despite revisiting one of Hollywood’s most recognisable technology stories, the new drama opened well below its predecessor and failed to secure a place among the weekend’s top-performing releases.
The disappointing debut raises questions about audience interest in the follow-up, particularly given the original film’s critical reputation and awards success.
THE SOCIAL RECKONING FALLS BEHIND ITS PREDECESSOR AT THE BOX OFFICE
The $5.5 million opening marks a substantial decline from The Social Network, which collected $22.4 million during its North American debut in 2010. The original film opened at No. 1, while The Social Reckoning entered the domestic box office rankings at No. 5.
The film’s opening-weekend performance also fell short of the older releases Verity, Resident Evil, and Heart of the Beast. The new movie reportedly carries a production budget of approximately $30 million, according to The Associated Press.
Unlike The Social Network, which focused on Facebook’s creation and Zuckerberg’s rise, The Social Reckoning centres on the investigation into the platform’s internal practices.
Madison plays Frances Haugen, the former Facebook employee who disclosed internal company documents. White portrays journalist Jeff Horwitz, who worked on the Wall Street Journal’s The Facebook Files investigation. The story examines concerns about Facebook’s impact on users and the ethical responsibilities of major technology companies.
Sorkin returns as both writer and director, with the film serving as a companion piece to the 2010 drama. However, the new release has received a weaker critical response. It holds a 54% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score, compared with the original film’s 96%, according to USA TODAY.
The film’s opening-weekend results do not necessarily determine its eventual awards prospects, but the subdued theatrical start puts pressure on its performance in the coming weeks.
