The theatrical film industry is once again facing a dilemma that has been hovering over it for some time: does the corporate thriller still work as a draw to fill theaters? The answer, at least for now, seems to be no, following the stumble of The Social Reckoning, the long-awaited spiritual successor to The Social Network, which has debuted well below expectations in its first weekend at the box office.
The release comes at a time when streaming platforms have absorbed a good portion of the corporate intrigue and tech scandal genre, making it especially relevant to analyze why a production written by Aaron Sorkin has failed to repeat the 2010 phenomenon.
A box office take well below forecasts
The Social Reckoning has grossed $5.5 million in the United States during its opening weekend. The figure places it in fifth position at the North American box office and falls short of even the most conservative forecasts, which pointed to a range between $7 and $8 million.
The international landscape offers no reason for optimism either. The film has added $3.5 million in 29 markets outside the United States, bringing its total worldwide gross to just $9 million.
The comparison with The Social Network is inevitable and unfavorable. The film directed by David Fincher in 2010 debuted with $22 million in its first U.S. weekend alone, a figure four times higher than the one obtained now, without even taking inflation adjustment into account.
Lukewarm reviews and an unencouraging CinemaScore
Critical reception has not played in the film's favor either. The Social Reckoning has a 54% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a modest figure, and a B- rating on CinemaScore, an indicator that usually predicts whether a film will manage to sustain itself in theaters through word of mouth.
The plot follows a Facebook engineer, played by Mikey Madison, who decides to leak thousands of internal documents to a journalist played by Jeremy Allen White. Her goal is to expose questionable practices by the company led by Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jeremy Strong.
Despite dealing with highly topical issues, such as information manipulation and the power of big tech, the proposal has failed to connect with the public in the same way the original film did more than a decade ago.
The comparison with The Social Network, a heavy burden to bear
One of the major obstacles for The Social Reckoning has been, precisely, the absence of two key names from the original work: David Fincher and Jesse Eisenberg.
The Social Network, directed by Fincher and also written by Aaron Sorkin, ended up grossing $224 million worldwide, becoming one of the most influential films of its decade thanks to its combination of sharp dialogue, agile editing, and a soundtrack still remembered today.
Sony avoided calling it a sequel, but could not avoid the comparisons
Aware of the weight the original film carried, Sony chose to present The Social Reckoning as a companion piece rather than a traditional sequel. The studio also significantly reduced the investment: while The Social Network cost $40 million, this new production had a budget of $30 million.
Despite this adjustment, a worldwide opening of just $9 million leaves very little room for maneuver to make the project profitable.
Analyst David A. Gross offers an interpretation that helps explain the phenomenon: plots centered on corporate intrigue, money, and power have found their natural home on television, making it increasingly difficult to convince the public that they should see them in a movie theater.
Horror dominates the box office despite bad reviews
The contrast with the rest of the box office is striking. The big winner of the weekend also failed to convince critics, but it did convince the public.
Other Mommy, the horror film starring Jessica Chastain and produced by Universal and Blumhouse, debuted with $27.5 million in North America and $45.19 million worldwide, despite having a meager 19% on Rotten Tomatoes and a D+ rating on CinemaScore.
With a budget of $18 million, its commercial position is considerably more favorable than that of The Social Reckoning, although negative ratings could cause a sharp drop in the coming weeks.
Resident Evil and Spider-Man sustain Sony
The failure of The Social Reckoning does not compromise, at least for now, Sony's overall health at the box office. The new adaptation of Resident Evil continues to add to its earnings and has already accumulated $300 million worldwide against a budget of $75 million.
Added to this is the extraordinary performance of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has become the third highest-grossing film in history, a success capable of easily offsetting the economic blow that this new stumble represents.
The question now is whether the name of Aaron Sorkin and the persistent interest in Facebook scandals will allow the film to stay in theaters long enough to recoup the investment. Repeating the cultural phenomenon of The Social Network, however, seems to be an out-of-reach goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has The Social Reckoning grossed in its opening?
The film has grossed $5.5 million in the United States and $3.5 million in 29 international markets, bringing its worldwide gross to $9 million during its first weekend.
Is The Social Reckoning a sequel to The Social Network?
Sony has presented it as a companion piece and not a traditional sequel, thus avoiding direct comparisons, although the narrative continues to explore the Facebook universe and its controversies.
Who directs The Social Reckoning?
Aaron Sorkin, screenwriter of the original The Social Network, is responsible for this new production, although David Fincher and Jesse Eisenberg, who were present in the 2010 film, are not involved in this project.
Which actors star in the film?
The cast is led by Mikey Madison as a Facebook engineer, Jeremy Allen White as the journalist to whom she leaks internal documents, and Jeremy Strong in the role of Mark Zuckerberg.
How has it been received by critics and the public?
The Social Reckoning has a 54% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a B- rating on CinemaScore, modest figures that do not favor its long-term stay in theaters.
Which film dominated the box office that weekend?
Other Mommy, a horror film starring Jessica Chastain, led the box office with $27.5 million in North America, despite receiving very negative reviews.
