Succession star emerges as top contender for Mark Zuckerberg’s role in Aaron Sorkin’s highly anticipated follow-up film
Casting Shake-Up Could Transform Facebook Sequel
Jeremy Strong is reportedly the frontrunner to take over the iconic role of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network 2, potentially replacing Jesse Eisenberg who originated the character in the 2010 Oscar-winning film.
According to Variety, the 46-year-old Succession star has emerged as the top choice for Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to his acclaimed Facebook biopic. Eisenberg, now 41, earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the social media mogul in the original film.
Star-Studded Cast in Negotiations
The casting developments don’t stop with Strong. Oscar winner Mikey Madison and The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White are also in talks to join the project, though no official offers have been extended to any of the actors yet.
Sony Pictures has not responded to requests for comment regarding the casting rumors, nor have representatives for Strong or Eisenberg.
A New Chapter, Not a Sequel
The Social Network 2 represents a fresh take on the Facebook story rather than a direct continuation. Sorkin, who is both writing and directing the new film, is basing the screenplay on The Facebook Files—a series of leaked documents published by the Wall Street Journal in October 2021 that exposed internal operations and potential harms of the social media platform.
The original Social Network featured an ensemble cast including Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara, and Andrew Garfield. The film chronicled Zuckerberg’s creation of Facebook during his college years and became a critical darling, winning Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Film Editing in 2011.
Zuckerberg’s Past Criticism
Despite the film’s success, Mark Zuckerberg himself was less than enthusiastic about his Hollywood portrayal. In a 2014 Facebook Q&A session, the now-41-year-old CEO called the movie “hurtful” and criticized its dramatic liberties.
“Writing code and building a product and then building a company actually is not a glamorous enough thing to make a movie about,” Zuckerberg stated. “You can imagine that a lot of the stuff they probably had to embellish and make up.”
He particularly took issue with the film’s suggestion that he created Facebook to attract romantic attention, emphasizing that the platform’s true mission was “to help connect the world.”
Strong’s Method Acting Approach
Should Strong land the role, audiences can expect his characteristic intense preparation. The actor has become known for his method acting approach, particularly demonstrated in his Emmy-winning performance as Kendall Roy in HBO’s Succession.
