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Sorkin says it never occurred to him Eisenberg would decline The Social Reckoning

Aaron Sorkin told Entertainment Weekly he never expected Jesse Eisenberg to turn down reprising Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Reckoning, out Oct. 9. Jeremy Strong plays the role instead.

3 outlets · 2L · 1C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Variety
Image: Deadline
Image: The A.V. Club

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The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2Aaron Sorkin, writer-director of The Social Reckoning, told Entertainment Weekly that it never occurred to him that Jesse Eisenberg would not return as Mark Zuckerberg in the follow-up to 2010's The Social Network. Mixed · 2Sorkin said he was "just a couple of pages from being done" with the script when he ran into Eisenberg, told him something was coming in a couple of weeks, and sent it after Eisenberg "smiled and nodded." Mixed · 2Sorkin said he tried to persuade Eisenberg, writing himself an outline of arguments, which he said he had never done for a film; Deadline reports he spent a three-day weekend on this before casting Jeremy Strong as Zuckerberg last September.

Mixed · 2Sorkin said he knew what the studio was offering, but that "money does not motivate Jesse," calling it "infuriating" and saying money is "a disincentive" because Eisenberg worries about raising his kids with too much money. Mixed · 2Sorkin added that Eisenberg "doesn't like being conflated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore," and Variety reports Eisenberg told Sorkin their conversations made him "come closer to changing my mind than I thought you were going to." Left · 1Eisenberg told Variety he is "moving in different directions" in his life, does not want to be associated with the character, and that his reasons have nothing to do with the quality of the film.

Centre · 1The Social Reckoning opens in theaters Oct. 9 and centres on the 2021 leak of documents showing harm caused by Facebook, with Mikey Madison as engineer Frances Haugen and Jeremy Allen White as Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz. Left · 1The Social Network was nominated for eight Oscars and won three, including best adapted screenplay for Sorkin; Eisenberg received a nomination for playing Zuckerberg.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Variety leads with Sorkin's surprise and the paycheck remark, then adds Eisenberg's own explanation to Variety.
Emphasis
The money-as-disincentive quote and Eisenberg's statement that he is moving in different directions.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the three-day persuasion weekend or the film's Haugen/Horwitz plot.
Charged language
“Claims the Paycheck Was a ‘Disincentive’”
For example
“Eisenberg’s refusal to return as Zuckerberg has been a hot topic.” — Variety

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Deadline opens with a Facebook-themed quip (a denied friend request) and focuses on Sorkin's account of the persuasion attempt.
Emphasis
Sorkin's view that Eisenberg dislikes being conflated with Zuckerberg, the three-day weekend, and the film's plot and cast.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not include Eisenberg's own comments to Variety or the Oscar history.
Charged language
“his friend request to Jesse Eisenberg was denied”
For example
“his friend request to Jesse Eisenberg was denied.” — Deadline

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.