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Just a day after news broke that Jeremy Allen White ("The Bear") and Mikey Madison were being considered for roles in "The Social Network Part II," a bombshell report now suggests that Jesse Eisenberg, who starred as Mark Zuckerberg in the original, may not be returning.
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The Hollywood Reporter exclusively revealed today that Eisenberg has declined an offer to reprise his role. While the reasons are unclear, THR speculates this could be a negotiation tactic. However, should Eisenberg officially exit, Jeremy Strong, acclaimed for his role in "Succession," is highly likely to take over the part.
But THR also noted that Strong could potentially play an editor for The Wall Street Journal, meaning his role is not yet finalized.
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The new film is not a direct sequel but rather a story chronicling events after the first movie, focusing on Facebook's internal operations and its harmful impact on the world. Aaron Sorkin, who has been intermittently developing the project, previously mentioned that the January 6th Capitol riot served as a major inspiration, as he believes Facebook played a key role in inciting public anger. Sources described the sequel's style as being similar to "The Insider" and "Spotlight."
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The sequel is reportedly set to focus on the story behind reporter Jeff Horwitz's 2021 series "The Facebook Files" for The Wall Street Journal. Sorkin is said to want Allen White to portray Horwitz, with Madison playing the whistleblower, data engineer Frances Haugen. Sorkin has already met with Strong, Madison, and Allen White, though no formal offers have been made to them yet.