The Social Reckoning is heading into a challenging opening weekend, with Sony Pictures projecting around $7 million in North American ticket sales. The follow-up to 2010’s The Social Network is expected to compete for attention with Other Mommy, a supernatural horror film starring Jessica Chastain that Universal Pictures projects will earn approximately $20 million.
The Social Reckoning will open in approximately 2,200 theaters. Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film has a reported $30 million budget and stars Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, and Jeremy Strong.
The story follows a Facebook employee, played by Madison, who works with a journalist, played by White, to expose troubling information about the company led by Mark Zuckerberg, portrayed by Strong. Unlike its predecessor, the sequel features an entirely new cast and places Sorkin in the director’s chair, replacing David Fincher.
The original The Social Network opened to $22.4 million in October 2010, eventually earning $224 million worldwide and winning three Academy Awards. However, the new film has received a more mixed critical response, with its Rotten Tomatoes critics score standing at 60 percent in the report.
Why The Social Reckoning Could Struggle at Theaters
One challenge for The Social Reckoning is its focus on corporate accountability and technology, a subject that may not offer the spectacle audiences often seek from theatrical releases. David A. Gross of the box office newsletter FranchiseRe told The Hollywood Reporter that tech-focused films “seem to have a better home on streaming than on the big screen.”
The concern comes as several films about powerful technology companies approach theaters. These include Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, which explores OpenAI, and Musk, Alex Gibney’s documentary about Elon Musk. Their commercial performance could help indicate whether audiences are interested in watching stories about the influence of major tech companies in cinemas.
Universal Pictures expects Other Mommy to open with approximately $20 million from around 3,200 North American theaters. Directed by Rob Savage, the supernatural horror film stars Jessica Chastain and follows a young girl confronted by a sinister presence in her closet. Its Halloween-season release and horror premise give it a potential advantage over the more dialogue-driven The Social Reckoning.
The film is also competing with Verity, which debuted with $32 million the previous weekend. The adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. Despite a mixed critical response, its strong opening and reported female-skewing audience could make it a competitor for viewers seeking suspense and darker stories.
With Other Mommy expected to lead the weekend, The Social Reckoning will need to rely on interest in its cast, Sorkin’s writing, and the continuing debate surrounding Facebook and social media. Its opening performance will offer an early indication of whether the legacy of The Social Network can attract audiences to a new story about technology and corporate power.