Aaron Sorkin has spent 18 years writing about Mark Zuckerberg but has never spoken to the billionaire. With The Social Reckoning now in theaters, the writer-director has revealed the one question he would ask the Meta CEO: what motivates him beyond money?
Aaron Sorkin wonders what motivates Mark Zuckerberg beyond money as The Social Reckoning approaches
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Sorkin questioned what drives Zuckerberg now that his wealth can no longer meaningfully change what he can afford.
“I wonder what motivates him at this point,” he said. “Because, you know, there’s nothing you can buy with $120 billion that you can’t buy with $119 billion. It can’t possibly be making money that motivates him, so I’d be curious what does.”
In The Social Reckoning, Jeremy Strong portrays Zuckerberg refusing to change Facebook’s algorithms. The film shows the platform amplifying extremism. Zuckerberg’s character also opposes fact-checking claims, even when they are demonstrably false.
Sorkin believes Zuckerberg’s decisions reflect his genuine views on free speech rather than a desire to maximize profits.
“It has to be, because again, what’s the alternative?” he said. “The alternative would be, no, he’s in it for the money, and honestly, I think there’s a whole other movie in answering the question, the What Makes Sammy Run? of it.”
Unlike 2010’s The Social Network, the new movie takes an investigative-thriller approach. It follows the events behind The Wall Street Journal’s 2021 investigation, “The Facebook Files.” The investigation examined Facebook’s role in amplifying extremism and political polarization.
Jeremy Allen White plays journalist Jeff Horwitz, while Mikey Madison portrays whistleblower Frances Haugen.
Sorkin said a potential third film would explore Zuckerberg more personally. It would also revisit the motivations behind The Social Network.
“He couldn’t get into the final clubs, he could not sit at the cool kids’ table, so he was gonna make his own cool kids’ table and be the mayor of it,” he explained.
The Social Reckoning is now playing in theaters.
