Key facts
- “The Social Reckoning” is projected to earn $5.5 million domestically in its opening weekend.
- The film's projected opening weekend earnings are below the studio's expectation of $7 million to $8 million.
- The movie focuses on whistleblower Frances Haugen and the Facebook files leak.
- “The Social Network,” Sorkin’s previous film, had a $22 million opening weekend.
- Alex Gibney’s documentary “Musk” earned $69,000 in its opening weekend.
Aaron Sorkin’s new film, “The Social Reckoning,” is projected to earn $5.5 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, falling short of the $7 million to $8 million the studio had anticipated. This performance suggests the movie is unlikely to replicate the success of Sorkin’s earlier film, “The Social Network,” which opened to $22 million and grossed $97 million domestically.
“The Social Reckoning” shifts focus from the early days of Facebook to the darker narrative of whistleblower Frances Haugen’s decision to leak the Facebook files, dealing with themes of Senate hearings and algorithm changes. The film’s reviews have also been unfavorable, with some suggesting its audience may be older moviegoers or that the subject matter feels less urgent compared to current concerns about artificial intelligence.
In contrast, Alex Gibney’s four-hour documentary “Musk,” which also opened this weekend, earned $69,000 across four theaters. It is expected to reach a wider audience upon its streaming release on HBO Max.
Other upcoming films and series exploring tech figures include Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary “You Can See Everything” and the OpenAI boardroom drama “Artificial,” as well as Netflix’s November series “The Altruists” about Sam Bankman-Fried and the collapse of FTX.