In 2026 alone, there are two notable standalone sequels coming out years after the first movie: The Social Reckoning (a Social Network sequel) and The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth (a spin-off of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood).
Ironically, David Fincher—who directed The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth—previously made The Social Network but didn't return for the sequel. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin took the director's chair for The Social Reckoning after writing the first movie. Meanwhile, Fincher takes over for Quentin Tarantino—who wrote The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth—in the standalone sequel.
We'll see how the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel is, but The Social Reckoning is first to bat. There are some interesting qualities, but despite the stacked cast, headlined by The Bear's Jeremy Allen White and Oscar winner Mikey Madison, it feels unnecessary.
The Social Network worked because of Fincher's direction of Sorkin's sharp script. The script is still sharp—oftentimes moving too quickly for its own good—but it misses Fincher's flair.
Plus, Jesse Eisenberg didn't return as Mark Zuckerberg. Jeremy Strong plays the Facebook CEO, teaming him with White again after playing Jon Landau to White's Bruce Springsteen in Deliver Me from Nowhere.
This time, however, they're on opposite sides of the conflict. The Social Reckoning focuses on The Wall Street Journal's 2021 Facebook leak and its impact on the Jan. 6, 2021, United States Capitol attack.
Timely? Yes. Necessary? Not so much. This sequel isn't the “no holds barred” criticism of Facebook or Meta or the radical political groups the social media platforms host (even going out of its way to avoid saying Donald Trump's name), so what's the point?
The Social Reckoning review
The Social Reckoning follows Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White), who won a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts reporting on the Facebook leak. He's enlisted to break the story by The Wall Street Journal, and he connects with one of Facebook's engineers, Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), who questions the company's integrity.
Sorkin's script jumps between a few years, going from Horwitz's investigation to Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) being prepped for hearings.
To its credit, the script is comprehensible despite the time jumps. The time jumps aren't distracting, though one story far outweighs the other. Horwitz's investigation is the crux of the movie and keeps it moving.
White and Madison have a fun rapport, with the latter being dubbed “mean” by the former. Over the 112-minute runtime, the two begin warming up to each other, and it feels rewarding.
Mark Zuckerberg is the lowlight of the Facebook movie
Any time The Social Reckoning cuts to Zuckerberg, time slows down. Maybe it's because Strong's work here has been done before. He nails the emptiness behind his eyes that makes his portrayal unsettling. However, The Social Network thrived because of Eisenberg's performance and his adversaries.
Andrew Garfield isn't here to save Strong, and Zuckerberg's biggest opposition is a former investor-turned-critic, Charlie Garrigan (Bill Burr). Aside from a quick mention of Garrigan's lengthy op-ed, their history isn't explored or explained in detail. What we know is that they once met frequently, and now, they can hardly be in the same room.
Strong and Burr are both good at what they excel at. Burr's line delivery is similar to the stuff you hear in his “loud guy in a bar” stand-up routines, while Strong's self-seriousness carries over to Zuckerberg. It can be hard to take Burr seriously when you've seen his stand-up, as he is supposed to be giving Zuckerberg helpful advice before his hearing.
The Social Reckoning is a movie filled with risk-averse performances. White is similarly good as Horwitz, but his take has a similar aura to his Springsteen, even hunching over as he did as The Boss; though his dynamics with Horwitz's interns are fun.
Madison probably gives the most refreshing performance of the bunch (at 27, she may have the most range of the actors). She plays the Facebook whistleblower who's trying to do the right thing.
Aaron Sorkin's script surprisingly pulls its punches
As for Sorkin's script, yes, it's pretty quick-witted like all his work, but it lacks power. The Social Network took no prisoners. A lot has changed over the 16 years since it came out, though, and maybe that's why The Social Reckoning pulls punches.
It starts on the right foot. The Social Reckoning opens with a police interaction gone wrong. According to Haugen, this woman was once a progressive leftist who eventually went to the other extreme, thanks to Facebook.
That's the hook, and this opening scene features the best acting. All three actors in the scene steal the show, and it is a chilling opening.
From there, the problems created by Facebook groups get thrown into the background. Yes, they are the overarching themes of the investigation, but it feels like Sorkin holds back here until bits of the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks are shown.
Article Continues BelowIt might not have been as noticeable if the attacks themselves were covered a little deeper. As noted, Trump's name isn't mentioned. Not only is it not mentioned, but The Social Reckoning goes to great lengths to avoid it, referring to him as the “sitting president” when alluded to.
Should you watch The Social Reckoning?
The things that work best in The Social Reckoning are the returning faces: Sorkin and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth. The latter's work makes the standalone sequel feel somewhat like its predecessor.
Sorkin's script isn't as powerful as The Social Network's was, but it does the job in terms of making an entertaining movie. The Social Reckoning's messaging gets a little hazy, though.
Which begs the question: was it necessary? Like Facebook, The Social Reckoning has lots of functions, but it never had to happen. Hollywood's love of sequels got the best of this one, as The Social Network's bliss could never be matched. At least on Facebook, you can scrub your account. Sadly, The Social Reckoning can't be scrubbed from the IMDb page of anyone involved.
Grade: C+
The Social Reckoning is in theaters.