In an interview with Variety during the premiere of Minions & Monsters, Jesse Eisenberg revealed that he had spoken with Aaron Sorkin for several days before making his final decision. “It’s an honor to talk with Aaron under any circumstances, because he’s such a brilliant, charming, and incredibly eloquent person,” the actor said. “We discussed the film for several days. The way Aaron speaks is the same as the way he writes: so compelling that, if you end up saying no to him, you almost feel like you’re letting America down.”
Despite his enthusiasm for the project, Eisenberg realized it was time to move on: “I simply told him that I’m heading in a different direction in my life. I no longer want to be associated with that character. But none of the reasons I turned it down have anything to do with the quality of the film, which will be wonderful—and, I’m sure, already is,” he said.
In recent weeks, Aaron Sorkin had already said that he had tried until the very end to convince the actor to return. The screenwriter and director had revealed that he had spent three days trying to change his mind, explaining that Eisenberg no longer wanted to be identified with Zuckerberg. “He didn’t want to be confused with Mark Zuckerberg anymore. He has his own issues with him. He doesn’t like it when guys stop him at airports with business cards that say ‘I’m CEO, bitch’ and ask him to sign them,” Sorkin had stated.
The sequel, titled The Social Reckoning, will therefore see Jeremy Strong take over from Eisenberg in the role of the Facebook founder. The film will recount the scandal that emerged in 2021 thanks to revelations by former employee Frances Haugen and an investigation by The Wall Street Journal, which brought to light Facebook’s negative effects on teenagers and the platform’s role in spreading misinformation. In the meantime, we’d like to remind you of the Italian release date for The Social Reckoning.
