The reckoning after the rise: Facebook’s next chapter faces the big screen.

Sixteen years after The Social Network captured the ambition behind Facebook’s rise, The Social Reckoning continues the story, shifting the focus to the controversies that would follow.

Released in 2010, The Social Network became one of the most acclaimed films of its era. Directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, it received eight Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Sorkin. It also won four Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, cementing its place as a defining film about the rise and influence of big tech.

Sorkin takes on both writing and directing duties for The Social Reckoning, drawing on the events behind The Wall Street Journal’s Facebook Files investigation, which examined internal company documents and raised major questions around Facebook’s impact, decision-making and corporate responsibility. Mikey Madison stars as whistleblower Frances Haugen, who shared thousands of internal documents with journalist Jeff Horwitz, played by Jeremy Allen White, as their reporting places Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg, portrayed by Jeremy Strong, under increasing scrutiny.

Its release comes at a time of heightened scrutiny across the technology industry. Questions around the influence, accountability and regulation of major tech companies remain firmly in the spotlight, while the rapid rise of AI has brought debates around technological power, ethics and corporate responsibility even further into the cultural mainstream. Combined with the prestige of the original film and Sorkin’s return, the film’s themes are set to resonate strongly with affluent AB audiences.

While The Social Reckoning is not about AI, its exploration of how powerful technology companies shape society feels closely connected to the conversations dominating the sector today, giving the story a fresh relevance more than a decade after The Social Network first arrived.

The Social Reckoning releases in cinemas October 22.