View source for The Social Network

{{Short description|2010 film by David Fincher}}
{{Hatnote|This article is about the film. For other uses, see [[Social network]] and [[Social network (disambiguation)]]}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = The Social Network
| image          = The Social Network film poster.png
| alt            = On top of a man's face, in white font, the phrase "You Don't Get to 500 Million Friends Without Making a Few Enemies" appears, covering most of the poster. Underneath, the words "The Social Network" are presented in a Facebook-esque style and logo.
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[David Fincher]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Scott Rudin]]
* [[Dana Brunetti]]
* [[Michael De Luca]]
* [[Ceán Chaffin]]
}}
| screenplay     = [[Aaron Sorkin]]
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[The Accidental Billionaires]]''|[[Ben Mezrich]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Jesse Eisenberg]]
* [[Andrew Garfield]]
* [[Justin Timberlake]]
* [[Armie Hammer]]
* [[Max Minghella]]
}}
| music          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Trent Reznor]]
* [[Atticus Ross]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Jeff Cronenweth]]
| editing        = {{Plainlist|
* [[Angus Wall]]
* [[Kirk Baxter]]
}}
| production_companies = {{Plainlist|
* [[Columbia Pictures]]
* [[Relativity Media]]
* Scott Rudin Productions
* Michael De Luca Productions
* [[Trigger Street Productions]]
}}
| distributor = [[Sony Pictures Releasing]]
| released    = {{Film date|2010|9|24|[[New York Film Festival|NYFF]]|2010|10|1|United States|ref1=<ref name="NYFF">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/social-network-open-ny-film-25334|title='Social Network' to open N.Y. Film Festival|date=July 8, 2010|first=Gregg|last=Kilday|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222231631/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/social-network-open-ny-film-25334|archive-date=December 22, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref>}}
| runtime     = 120 minutes<ref name="BBFC">{{cite web |title=The Social Network |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/social-network-film |publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |date=September 21, 2010 |access-date=June 21, 2014 |archive-date=August 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831063406/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/BFF270720/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| country     = United States
| language    = English
| budget      = $40 million<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo"/>
| gross       = $224.9 million<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo">{{cite Box Office Mojo |title=The Social Network |id=1285016 |access-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-date=June 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615131357/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1285016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

'''''The Social Network''''' is a 2010 American [[Biographical drama|biographical]] [[drama film]] directed by [[David Fincher]] and written by [[Aaron Sorkin]], based on the 2009 book ''[[The Accidental Billionaires]]'' by [[Ben Mezrich]]. It portrays the founding of [[Social network service|social networking]] website [[Facebook]]. It stars [[Jesse Eisenberg]] as Facebook founder [[Mark Zuckerberg]], with [[Andrew Garfield]] as [[Eduardo Saverin]], [[Justin Timberlake]] as [[Sean Parker]], [[Armie Hammer]] as [[Cameron Winklevoss|Cameron]] and [[Tyler Winklevoss]], and [[Max Minghella]] as [[Divya Narendra]]. Neither Zuckerberg nor any other Facebook staff were involved with the project, although Saverin was a consultant for Mezrich's book.<ref name="NewYork">Harris, Mark. [https://nymag.com/movies/features/68319/ "Inventing Facebook"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143948/https://nymag.com/movies/features/68319/ |date=November 18, 2020}}. ''New York Magazine''. September 17, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2019.</ref>

Production began when Sorkin signed on to write the screenplay. [[Principal photography]] began that same year in October in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], and lasted until November. Additional scenes were shot in California, in the cities of [[Los Angeles]] and [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]]. [[Trent Reznor]] and [[Atticus Ross]] of [[Nine Inch Nails]] composed the film's award-winning [[The Social Network (soundtrack)|score]], which was released on September 28, 2010.

The film premiered at the [[New York Film Festival]] on September 24, 2010, and was released theatrically in the United States on October 1, by [[Sony Pictures Releasing]]. A major critical and commercial success, the film grossed $224 million on a $40 million budget and was widely acclaimed by critics. It was named one of the best films of the year by 447 critics, and named the best by 110 critics, the most of any film that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://criticstop10.com/best-movies-of-2010/|title=Best Movies of 2010 - CriticsTop10|publisher=Critics' Top 10|access-date=May 8, 2025}}</ref> It was also chosen by the [[National Board of Review]] as the [[National Board of Review Awards 2010#Top 10 Films|best film of 2010]]. At the [[83rd Academy Awards]], it received eight nominations, including for [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]], and [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] for Eisenberg, and won for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]], [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]], and [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]. It also received awards for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]], and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] at the [[68th Golden Globe Awards]].

''The Social Network'' has maintained a strong reputation since its initial release, and is commonly ranked by critics as one of the [[best films]] of the 2010s and 21st century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160819-the-21st-centurys-100-greatest-films|title=The 21st Century's 100 greatest films|date=August 23, 2016|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-date=January 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131124228/http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160819-the-21st-centurys-100-greatest-films|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/best-movies-decade-2010s-910770/the-social-network-2010-4-910968/|title=The 50 Best Movies of the 2010s|date=December 18, 2019|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=October 2, 2021|archive-date=October 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002120957/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/best-movies-decade-2010s-910770/the-social-network-2010-4-910968/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-best-films-of-the-2010s|title=The Best Films of the 2010s|date=November 4, 2019|website=[[RogerEbert.com]]|access-date=October 2, 2021|archive-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410122546/https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-best-films-of-the-2010s|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-movies-of-2010s-decade/the-social-network-4/|title=The 100 Best Movies of the Decade|date=July 22, 2019|publisher=[[IndieWire]]|access-date=October 2, 2021|archive-date=October 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002120957/https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-movies-of-2010s-decade/the-social-network-4/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Writers Guild of America]] ranked Sorkin's screenplay the third greatest of the 21st century.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |date=December 6, 2021 |title=101 Greatest Screenplays Of The 21st Century: Horror Pic Tops Writers Guild's List |url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/greatest-screenplays-of-21st-century-list-writers-guild-get-out-1234885622/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206184612/https://deadline.com/2021/12/greatest-screenplays-of-21st-century-list-writers-guild-get-out-1234885622/ |archive-date=December 6, 2021 |access-date=December 8, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> The factual accuracy is however largely contested.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Andrew |date=2010-09-24 |title=The Social Network and docudrama dishonesty |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/andrew-clark-on-america/2010/sep/23/facebook-mark-zuckerberg |access-date=2024-10-27 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In 2024, the film was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref name="2024NFR">{{cite web|title=25 Films Added to National Film Registry for Preservation|url= https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/25-films-named-to-national-film-registry-for-preservation/s/55d5285d-916f-4105-b7d4-7fc3ba8664e3|date=December 17, 2024|access-date=December 17, 2024}}</ref> On June 25, 2025, a sequel, ''The Social Network Part II'', was officially announced as being in development, with Sorkin writing and directing.

== Plot ==
<!-- Please see WP:FILMPLOT before adding material. The word count for a plot is usually 400-700 words. -->
In intercut [[frame story|frame stories]], two ongoing depositions play out: in one, [[Mark Zuckerberg]] is being sued by his former friend [[Eduardo Saverin]], and in the other he is sued by twins [[Cameron Winklevoss|Cameron]] and [[Tyler Winklevoss]].

On October 28, 2003, Zuckerberg, a [[Harvard University]] sophomore, is dumped by his girlfriend, Erica Albright. Returning to his dorm, Zuckerberg writes an insulting post about her on his [[LiveJournal]] blog. Zuckerberg creates a campus website called [[Facemash]] by hacking and downloading photos of female students from house [[face book]]s, then allowing site visitors to rate their attractiveness. After traffic to the site crashes parts of Harvard's computer network, Zuckerberg is given six months of [[disciplinary probation|academic probation]].

Facemash’s popularity attracts the attention of the Winklevoss twins and their business partner [[Divya Narendra]]. The trio invites Zuckerberg to work on [[Harvard Connection]], a social network exclusive to Harvard students and aimed at dating. Soon after, Zuckerberg approaches Saverin with an idea for <!--ORIGINAL NAME OF THE COMPANY-->"TheFacebook"<!--ORIGINAL NAME OF THE COMPANY-->, a [[Social networking service|social networking]] website that would be exclusive to [[Ivy League]] students. Saverin provides $1,000 in seed funding, allowing Zuckerberg to build the website, which quickly becomes popular. When they learn of TheFacebook, the Winklevoss twins and Narendra are incensed, believing that Zuckerberg stole their idea while misleading them by stalling development on the Harvard Connection website. They raise their complaint with Harvard President [[Larry Summers]], who is dismissive and sees no value in disciplinary action on TheFacebook or Zuckerberg.

Saverin and Zuckerberg meet fellow student Christy Lee, who asks them to "Facebook me," which impresses them. As TheFacebook grows in popularity, Zuckerberg expands the network to [[Yale University|Yale]], [[Columbia University|Columbia]], and [[Stanford University|Stanford]]. Saverin begins dating Lee, who arranges for him and Zuckerberg to meet [[Napster]] co-founder [[Sean Parker]]. Parker presents a "billion-dollar" vision for the company, impressing Zuckerberg. Saverin dismisses Parker as paranoid and delusional outside of his suggestion to rename TheFacebook to [[Facebook]]. Zuckerberg relocates the company to [[Palo Alto]] based on Parker's advice; Saverin remains in New York to work on business development, while breaking up with Lee. Parker later moves into the house that Zuckerberg is using as a base of operations and becomes more involved with the company, much to Saverin's annoyance.

After narrowly losing in the 2004 [[Henley Royal Regatta]] for Harvard against the [[Hollandia Roeiclub]], the Winklevoss twins discover that Facebook has expanded to Europe with [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] and [[London School of Economics|LSE]], and decide to sue the company for [[Intellectual property rights|intellectual property theft]]. Meanwhile, Saverin objects to Parker making business decisions for Facebook and freezes the company's bank account in the resulting dispute. He relents when Zuckerberg reveals that they have secured $500,000 from [[angel investor]] [[Peter Thiel]].

Saverin is invited to the company's new headquarters on the pretense of attending a business meeting and "millionth user party," but is enraged when he discovers that the new investment deal [[Stock dilution|dilutes]] his share of Facebook from 34% to 0.03%, without diluting the ownership percentage of any other owner. Furthermore, he has already been removed from the masthead as co-founder and CFO. He confronts Zuckerberg and Parker, vowing to sue as security removes him from the building. Shortly after, Parker is apprehended for cocaine possession with a minor at a party celebrating one million users. He attempts to blame Saverin, prompting Zuckerberg to cut ties with him.

The frame stories, the Winklevoss twins claim that Zuckerberg stole their idea, while Saverin's claim is his shares of Facebook were unfairly diluted when the company was incorporated. Marylin Delpy, a junior lawyer for Zuckerberg, informs Zuckerberg that they will settle with Saverin since the sordid details of Facebook's founding and Zuckerberg's callous attitude will make him unsympathetic to a jury. Alone, Zuckerberg sends a Facebook friend request to Albright and repeatedly refreshes the page. Closing text reveals both cases were [[settled out of court]] and Zuckerberg became the world's youngest billionaire.

== Cast ==
{{multiple image
| total_width       = 450
| direction         = horizontal
| align             = right
| footer            = ({{abbr|L|Left}} to {{abbr|R|right}}) [[Jesse Eisenberg]], [[Andrew Garfield]] (both pictured in 2023), and [[Justin Timberlake]] (2016)
| image1            = Jesse_Eisenberg-62192_(cropped).jpg
| alt1              = A photograph of Jesse Eisenberg
| image2            = Andrew_Garfield_in_2023_(cropped).jpg
| alt2              = A photograph of Andrew Garfield
| image3            = Justin_Timberlake_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg
| alt3              = A photograph of Justin Timberlake
}}
{{cast list|
* [[Jesse Eisenberg]] as [[Mark Zuckerberg]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/09/facebook-antitrust-trouble-timeline-443898|title=How Facebook grew into trouble|date=December 9, 2020|first=Leah|last=Nylen|website=[[Politico]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212040556/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/09/facebook-antitrust-trouble-timeline-443898|archive-date=December 12, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Andrew Garfield]] as [[Eduardo Saverin]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/anharkarim/2020/11/16/the-social-networks-denise-grayson-on-being-a-lawyer-then-playing-one/|title='The Social Network's' Denise Grayson On Being A Lawyer, Then Playing One|date=November 16, 2020|first=Anhar|last=Karim|website=[[Forbes]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117062918/https://www.forbes.com/sites/anharkarim/2020/11/16/the-social-networks-denise-grayson-on-being-a-lawyer-then-playing-one/|archive-date=November 17, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Justin Timberlake]] as [[Sean Parker]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1194057/justin-timberlake-shares-a-blast-from-the-past-in-the-social-network-tribute|title=Justin Timberlake Shares A Blast From The Past In The Social Network Tribute|date=October 1, 2020|first=Mona|last=Thomas|website=E! Online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214012303/https://www.eonline.com/news/1194057/justin-timberlake-shares-a-blast-from-the-past-in-the-social-network-tribute|archive-date=December 14, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Armie Hammer]] as [[Cameron Winklevoss|Cameron]] and [[Tyler Winklevoss]]<ref name="CastMembers">{{cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/the-social-network-cast-then-now-photos|title=THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'The Social Network' 10 years later|date=October 14, 2020|first=Olivia|last=Singh|website=[[Insider Inc.]]|access-date=December 14, 2020|archive-date=March 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324185523/https://www.insider.com/the-social-network-cast-then-now-photos|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Max Minghella]] as [[Divya Narendra]]<ref name="CastMembers"/>
* [[Brenda Song]] as Christy Lee<ref name="CastMembers"/>
* [[Rashida Jones]] as Marylin Delpy<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bscreview.com/2009/12/rashida-jones-in-finchers-the-social-network|title=Rashida Jones in Fincher's The Social Network|date=December 9, 2009|first=Jay|last=Tomio|website=BSC Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143950/https://bookspotcentral.com/|archive-date=November 18, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=February 5, 2010}}</ref><ref name="RashidaJones">{{cite web|url=http://www.shockya.com/news/2010/07/08/the-social-networks-second-teaser-trailer-makes-its-point-via-status-updates/|title=The Social Network's Second Teaser Trailer Makes Its Point Via Status Updates|date=July 8, 2010|first=Perri|last=Nemiroff|website=Shockya.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143935/https://www.shockya.com/news/2010/07/08/the-social-networks-second-teaser-trailer-makes-its-point-via-status-updates/|archive-date=November 18, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=July 9, 2010}}</ref>
* [[John Getz]] as Sy<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes"/>
* [[David Selby]] as Gage<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes"/>
* Denise Grayson as Gretchen<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes"/>
* [[Douglas Urbanski]] as [[Lawrence Summers|Larry Summers]]<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes"/>
* [[Rooney Mara]] as Erica Albright<ref name="CastMembers"/><ref>[[Digital Spy]] https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a357980/rooney-mara-the-social-network-changed-my-life/</ref>
* [[Joseph Mazzello]] as [[Dustin Moskovitz]]<ref name="CastMembers"/>
* Dustin Fitzsimons as [[The Phoenix – S K Club]] President<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/66175|title=The Social Network (2010)|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030161043/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/66175|archive-date=October 30, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Wallace Langham]] as [[Peter Thiel]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/look-inside-life-people-the-social-network-ten-years-later-2020-10|title='The Social Network,' a fictionalized version of Facebook's founding story, is 10 years old. Here's where the people behind the characters are now.|date=October 2, 2020|first=Debanjali|last=Bose|website=[[Business Insider]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017213000/https://www.businessinsider.com/look-inside-life-people-the-social-network-ten-years-later-2020-10|archive-date=October 17, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* Patrick Mapel as [[Chris Hughes]]<ref name="CastMembers"/>
* [[Dakota Johnson]] as Amelia Ritter<ref name="CastMembers"/>
* [[Malese Jow]] as Alice Cantwel<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/2752213/unfabulous-cast-where-are-they-now-nickelodeon/|title=Unfabolous: Where Is The Cast Now?|date=March 10, 2016|first=Stacey|last=Grant|publisher=[[MTV]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311234328/https://www.mtv.com/news/2752213/unfabulous-cast-where-are-they-now-nickelodeon/|archive-date=March 11, 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Trevor Wright]] as B.U. Guy in Bra<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes">{{cite news|title=Millions of Friends, but Not Very Popular|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/455955/The-Social-Network/cast|access-date=13 February 2016|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143954/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/movies/24nyffsocial.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 23, 2010|url-status=live|last1=Dargis|first1=Manohla}}</ref>
* [[Shelby Young]] as K.C.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2paragraphs.com/2015/12/who-is-daughter-amy-in-the-house-sitter-on-lifetime/|title=Who Is Daughter Amy In 'The House Sitter' on Lifetime?|date=December 26, 2015|website=2Paragraphs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214020829/https://2paragraphs.com/2015/12/who-is-daughter-amy-in-the-house-sitter-on-lifetime/|archive-date=December 14, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Aaron Sorkin]] as Ad Executive<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes"/>
* Steve Sires as [[Bill Gates]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kval.com/news/entertainment/104288359.html |title='Bogus Bill' has a blast playing billionaire in 'The Social Network' |work=KVAL 13 |access-date=August 10, 2013 |archive-date=July 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150730024100/http://www.kval.com/news/entertainment/104288359.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Caleb Landry Jones]] as a fraternity brother<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/caleb-landry-jones-movies-tv-roles/|title=Caleb Landry Jones Roles: Where You Know The Get Out Star|date=January 29, 2020|first=Padraig|last=Cotter|website=[[Screen Rant]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130134703/https://screenrant.com/caleb-landry-jones-movies-tv-roles/|archive-date=January 30, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref>
}}

[[Josh Pence]] is the body double for Hammer, whose likeness was digitally imposed onto Pence's body. He is listed in the end credits as playing Tyler Winklevoss alongside Hammer, though he also shot scenes as Cameron.  He also appears in a cameo role as the man being detoured from the bathroom by Zuckerberg and Saverin.<ref name="TWPost"/>

== Production ==
=== Screenplay ===
Screenwriter [[Aaron Sorkin]] said, "What attracted me to [the film project] had nothing to do with [[Facebook]]. The invention itself is as modern as it gets, but the story is as old as storytelling; the themes of friendship, loyalty, jealousy, class and power." He said he read an unfinished draft of ''[[The Accidental Billionaires]]'' when the publisher began "shopping it around" for a film adaptation. Sorkin added, "I was reading it and somewhere on page three I said yes. It was the fastest I said yes to anything ... They wanted me to start right away. [[Ben Mezrich|Ben]] and I were kind of doing our research at the same time, sort of along parallel lines."<ref name="FaceValue">{{cite web|last=Callaghan|first=Dylan|title=Face Value|url=http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4348|work=The Craft|publisher=[[Writers Guild of America West]]|access-date=August 14, 2012|date=October 1, 2010|archive-date=June 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608190459/http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=4348|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2008, Sorkin started a Facebook group for research purposes while he was working on the film. "I've just agreed to write a movie for Sony and producer [[Scott Rudin]] about how Facebook was invented. I figured a good first step in my preparation would be finding out what Facebook is, so I've started this page."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kois |first=Dan |date=2008-08-27 |title=CONFIRMED: Aaron Sorkin Creates Facebook Page, Writing Facebook Movie - Slideshow |url=https://www.vulture.com/2008/08/confirmed_aaron_sorkin_creates.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Luft |first=Oliver |date=2008-08-28 |title=Aaron Sorkin to write Facebook movie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/28/facebook.television |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> He emphasized the role of the competing narratives at a Q&A screening hosted by [[Myspace]]: "If the same story was behind the invention of MySpace or Friendster, I would have written that. Two separate lawsuits were brought against Facebook at roughly the same time. Rather than pick one and decide that's the truth, or pick one and say that's the sexist, I like the idea that there are three conflicting stories."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-27 |title=Aaron Sorkin: Social Network is True. Also False. It's Complicated. |url=https://observer.com/2010/09/aaron-sorkin-emsocial-networkem-is-true-also-false-its-complicated/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Observer |language=en-US}}</ref>

According to Sorkin, Mezrich did not send him material from his book as he wrote it: "Two or three times we'd get together. I'd go to [[Boston]], or we'd meet in [[New York City|New York]] and kind of compare notes and share information, but I didn't see the book until he was done with it. By the time I saw the book, I was probably 80 percent done with the screenplay."<ref name="FaceValue"/> Sorkin elaborated:
{{Cquote|There's a lot of available research, and I also did a lot of first person research with a number of the people that were involved in the story. I can't go too deeply into that because most of the people did it on the condition of anonymity, but what I found was that two lawsuits were brought against Facebook at roughly the same time, that the defendant, plaintiffs, witnesses all came into a deposition room and swore under oath, and three different versions of the story were told. Instead of choosing one and deciding that's the truest one or choosing one and deciding that's the juiciest one, I decided to dramatize the idea that there were three different versions of the story being told. That's how I came up with the structure of the deposition room.<ref name="FaceValue"/>}}

=== Casting ===
Casting began in mid-2009, with [[Jesse Eisenberg]], [[Justin Timberlake]], and [[Andrew Garfield]] announced to star.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/09/facebook-cast-confirmed-jessie.html|title=Facebook Cast Confirmed: Jessie Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake & Andrew Garfield Join Fincher's 'Social Network|date=September 23, 2020|website=The Playlist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720235311/http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/09/facebook-cast-confirmed-jessie.html|archive-date=July 20, 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=November 19, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/the-social-network-accepts-friend-requests-from-justin-timberlake-jesse-eisenberg-and-andrew-garfield/ |title=THE SOCIAL NETWORK Accepts Friend Requests from Justin Timberlake, Jesse Eisenberg, and Andrew Garfield |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date=September 3, 2009 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143948/https://collider.com/the-social-network-accepts-friend-requests-from-justin-timberlake-jesse-eisenberg-and-andrew-garfield/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Jonah Hill]] was in contention for Timberlake's role, but director [[David Fincher]] passed on him.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/jonah-hill-the-social-network/ |title=Jonah Hill Says David Fincher Passed on Him for 'The Social Network' |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date=October 23, 2018 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143948/https://collider.com/jonah-hill-the-social-network/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2009, [[Brenda Song]], [[Rooney Mara]], [[Armie Hammer]], [[Shelby Young]], and [[Josh Pence]] were cast.<ref name="ThePlaylist">{{cite web|url=http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/10/max-minghella-rooney-mara-dakota.html|title=Max Minghella, Rooney Mara, Dakota Johnson & More Join David Fincher's 'Social Network'|date=October 20, 2009|website=The Playlist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008081151/http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/10/max-minghella-rooney-mara-dakota.html|archive-date=October 8, 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=November 19, 2009}}</ref> [[Max Minghella]] and [[Dakota Johnson]] were also confirmed.<ref name="ThePlaylist"/> In a 2009 interview with ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'', Eisenberg said, "Even though I've gotten to be in some wonderful movies, this character seems so much more overtly insensitive in so many ways that seem more real to me in the best way. I don't often get cast as insensitive people, so it feels very comfortable: fresh and exciting, as if you never have to worry about the audience. Not that I worry about the audience anyway – it should be just the furthest thing from your mind. ''The Social Network'' is the biggest relief I've ever had in a movie".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/bal-jesse-eisenberg-qa-story.html|title=Status updated|date=November 6, 2009|first=Michael|last=Sragow|website=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|url-status=live|access-date=November 19, 2020|archive-date=November 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123233950/https://www.baltimoresun.com/}}</ref> In 2010, it was announced that [[Rashida Jones]] would appear as Marylin Delpy.<ref name="RashidaJones"/>

=== Filming ===
[[Principal photography]] began in October 2009 in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/10/20/casting-notes-selena-gomez-in-teen-rom-com-the-social-network-gets-new-kids-the-whistleblower-gets-proven-talent/|title=Casting Notes: Selena Gomez in Teen Rom Com; The Social Network Gets New Kids; The Whistleblower Gets Proven Talent|date=October 20, 2009|first=Russ|last=Fischer|website=[[/Film]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091023031549/http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/10/20/casting-notes-selena-gomez-in-teen-rom-com-the-social-network-gets-new-kids-the-whistleblower-gets-proven-talent/|archive-date=October 23, 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=October 20, 2009}}</ref> Scenes were filmed around the campuses of two Massachusetts prep schools, [[Phillips Academy]] and [[Milton Academy]].<ref>[http://www.andover.edu/MEDIAGALLERY/STUDENTLIFE/2009_2010/SOCIALNETWORK/Pages/Default.aspx "Facebook Movie Shoots on Campus"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922053021/http://www.andover.edu/MEDIAGALLERY/STUDENTLIFE/2009_2010/SOCIALNETWORK/Pages/Default.aspx |date=September 22, 2015}}. ''[[Phillips Academy]]''. 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2009.</ref> Additional scenes were filmed on the campus of [[Wheelock College]], which was set up to be Harvard's campus,<ref>[http://www2.wheelock.edu/wheelock/x2361.xml "Major motion picture filmed at Wheelock"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527145138/http://www2.wheelock.edu/wheelock/x2361.xml |date=May 27, 2010}}. ''[[Wheelock College]]''. October 19, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.</ref> as well as locations on and around the campus of [[Johns Hopkins University]] in [[Baltimore]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sragow |first=Michael |date=30 September 2010 |title=Where to spot Baltimore in 'The Social Network' |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2010/09/30/where-to-spot-baltimore-in-the-social-network/ |access-date=21 March 2025 |work=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref> (Harvard has turned down most requests for on-location filming ever since the filming of ''[[Love Story (1970 film)|Love Story]]'' (1970), which caused significant physical damage to trees on campus.)<ref name="Schwartz">{{cite news |last=Schwartz |first=Nathaniel L. |title=University, Hollywood Relationship Not Always a 'Love Story' |url=http://www.thecrimson.harvard.edu/article/1999/9/21/university-hollywood-relationship-not-always-a/ |access-date=6 October 2020 |work=[[The Harvard Crimson]] |date=September 21, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303202552/http://www.thecrimson.harvard.edu/article/1999/9/21/university-hollywood-relationship-not-always-a/ |archive-date=3 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Filming took place on the Keyser and Wyman quadrangles in the [[Homewood campus]] of [[Johns Hopkins University]] from November 2–4,<ref>O'Neill, Nick (November 2, 2009). [http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/11/pictures-of-todays-filming-of-the-social-network-at-johns-hopkins "Pictures Of Today's Filming Of "The Social Network" At Johns Hopkins"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143935/https://www.adweek.com/digital/pictures-of-todays-filming-of-the-social-network-at-johns-hopkins/ |date=November 18, 2020}}. ''AllFacebook.com''. Retrieved November 19, 2009.</ref> which also doubled for Harvard in the film.<ref>[http://gazette.jhu.edu/2009/11/03/fincher-eisenberg-bring-facebook-flick-the-social-network-to-johns-hopkins "Hollywood crew arrives at Homewood for Facebook movie: Color us crimson"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119095112/https://gazette.jhu.edu/2009/11/03/fincher-eisenberg-bring-facebook-flick-the-social-network-to-johns-hopkins/ |date=January 19, 2021}}. November 3, 2009. ''The JHU Gazette''. Retrieved November 3, 2009.</ref> The first scene in the film, where Zuckerberg is with his girlfriend, took 99 takes to finish.<ref name="NewYork"/> The film was shot on the [[The Red One (camera)|Red One]] digital cinema camera.<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Justin |url=http://camerarentalz.com/social-network-shot-red |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024010612/http://camerarentalz.com/social-network-shot-red/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 24, 2009 |title="The Social Network" Shot on RED – Royal Galactic Cinema |work=CameraRentalz.com |date=October 15, 2009 |access-date=September 23, 2010}}</ref> The rowing scenes with the Winklevoss brothers were filmed at Community Rowing Inc. in [[Newton, Massachusetts]]<ref>{{cite web |access-date=September 24, 2010 |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10385630-36.html |title=Gossip: 'Social Network' filming will row across the pond |publisher=[[CNET]] |date=June 2, 2010 |author=McCarthy, Caroline |archive-date=October 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005231421/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10385630-36.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and at the Henley Royal Regatta; [[miniature faking]] process was used in a sequence showing a rowing event at the latter.<ref>[http://www.filmdetail.com/2010/09/29/the-social-network-in-henley-and-windsor-david-fincher "The Social Network in Henley and Windsor"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143937/http://www.filmdetail.com/2010/09/29/the-social-network-in-henley-and-windsor-david-fincher/ |date=November 18, 2020}}. ''FilmDetail.com''. September 29, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2011.</ref> Although a significant portion of the latter half of the film is set in [[Silicon Valley]], the filmmakers opted to shoot those scenes in Los Angeles and [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]].{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Armie Hammer, who portrayed the Winklevoss twins, acted alongside body double Josh Pence while his scenes were filmed. His face was later digitally grafted onto Pence's face during post-production, while other scenes used [[Split screen (filmmaking)|split-screen photography]]. Pence was concerned about having no face time during the role, but after considerable musing thought of the role as a "no-brainer". He also appears in a cameo role elsewhere in the film.<ref name="TWPost">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/30/AR2010093002654.html |title='Social Network' twins played by unrelated men. The solution? Use only one face. |author=Hesse, Monica |date=October 1, 2010 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=March 3, 2012 |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707043726/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/30/AR2010093002654.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Hammer states that director David Fincher "likes to push himself and likes to push technology" and is "one of the most technologically minded guys I've ever seen."<ref name="NYMag">{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/armie_hammer_interview.html |title=The Social Network's Armie Hammer Talks Special Effects, Misogyny, and the Downside of Being Tall and Handsome |last=Buchanan |first=Kyle |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=January 15, 2011 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143944/https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/armie_hammer_interview.html |url-status=live}}</ref> This included sending the actors to "twin boot camp" for 10 months to learn everything about the Winklevosses.<ref name="TWPost"/>

==== Rowing production ====
[[File:Harvard Rowing Crew at Henley 2004 -2.JPG|alt=|thumb|Harvard's rowing tradition is depicted in the film.]]
Community Rowing Inc. held a casting call and a tryout for 20 rowing extras; some were graduates from Harvard, [[Northeastern University]], [[Boston University]], [[George Washington University]], and [[Trinity College, Hartford|Trinity College]], as well as local club rowers from [[Union Boat Club]] and [[Riverside Boat Club]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Boyne |first=Dan |title=Rowing and the Art of the Social Network – Part III: Those Guys are Freakin' Fast |url=http://www.row2k.com/features/features.cfm?action=read&ID=480 |access-date=April 30, 2011 |newspaper=Row2k |date=October 6, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144003/https://www.row2k.com/features/480/Part-III--Those-Guys-are-Freakin--Fast/ |url-status=live}}</ref> None of the cast rowing extras for the Henley Royal Regatta racing scene appeared in the film; filming for the race was originally planned to take place in Los Angeles, but Fincher decided to film in [[England]] during production.<ref name="Boyne">{{cite news |last=Boyne |first=Dan |title=Rowing and the Art of the Social Network – Part VI: Trouble in the Tanks |url=http://www.row2k.com/features/features.cfm?action=read&ID=485 |access-date=April 30, 2011 |newspaper=Row2k |date=October 18, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143958/https://www.row2k.com/features/485/Part-VI--Trouble-in-the-Tanks/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

David Fincher hired [[Loyola Marymount]] coach Dawn Reagan to help train Josh Pence and Armie Hammer.<ref name="Row2k">{{cite news |last=Boyne |first=Dan |title=Rowing and the Art of the Social Network – Part IV: The Actors Arrive |url=http://www.row2k.com/features/features.cfm?action=read&ID=482 |access-date=April 30, 2011 |newspaper=Row2k |date=October 12, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143943/https://www.row2k.com/features/482/Part-IV--The-Actors-Arrive/ |url-status=live}}</ref> While Hammer was new to the sport, Pence rowed previously at [[Dartmouth College]].<ref name="Row2k"/>

The indoor rowing scene was filmed at Boston University's indoor rowing tanks. All of BU's blue oars in the scene were repainted to Harvard's crimson color for filming. Dan Boyne was the official rowing consultant in the US and the UK.<ref name="Boyne"/>

=== Soundtrack ===
{{Main|The Social Network (soundtrack){{!}}''The Social Network'' (soundtrack)}}
On June 1, 2010, it was announced that [[Trent Reznor]] and [[Atticus Ross]] would score the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/02/trent-reznor-facebook-movie |title=Trent Reznor To Score Facebook Movie. "It's Really Fucking Good. And Dark!" |author=Siegler, MG |publisher=[[TechCrunch]] |date=July 2, 2010 |access-date=July 3, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143945/https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/02/trent-reznor-facebook-movie/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The soundtrack was released September 28 in various formats under the Null Corporation label.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nullco.com/TSN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918094926/http://www.nullco.com/TSN/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 18, 2010 |title=The Social Network Soundtrack |website=The Null Corporation |access-date=September 18, 2010}}</ref> Leading up to the release of the soundtrack, a free five-track [[Extended play|EP]] was made available for download.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/09/trent-reznor-social-network |title=Download Trent Reznor's Social Network Sampler for Free &#124; Underwire |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=September 23, 2010 |first=Lewis |last=Wallace |date=September 19, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144008/https://www.wired.com/2010/09/trent-reznor-social-network/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[The White Stripes]]' song "[[Ball and Biscuit]]" can be heard in the opening of the film and [[the Beatles]]' song "[[Baby, You're a Rich Man]]" concludes the film. Neither song appears on the soundtrack album. Reznor and Ross won the award for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] at the 2011 [[Golden Globe Award]]s,<ref>{{cite news |last=Swash |first=Rosie |title=Trent Reznor wins Golden Globe for The Social Network score |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=[[London]] |date=January 17, 2011 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jan/17/trent-reznor-golden-globe-social-network |access-date=January 22, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143940/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jan/17/trent-reznor-golden-globe-social-network |url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the 2011 [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]].

== Marketing ==
=== Poster ===
The first theatrical poster, designed by Neil Kellerhouse, was released on June 18, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thefilmstage.com/2010/06/18/david-finchers-the-social-network-poster|title=David Fincher's The Social Network Poster|author=Raup, Jordan|date=June 18, 2010|website=The Film Stage|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100622075357/http://thefilmstage.com/2010/06/18/david-finchers-the-social-network-poster/|archive-date=June 22, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref> As Kellerhouse previously designed posters for the films of [[Steven Soderbergh]], director David Fincher's friend, he was contacted by Ceán Chaffin in late 2009 to work on the [[key art]] for ''The Social Network'', which had to make sole use of one approved photograph, that of Eisenberg's head.<ref name="Haywire">{{cite news|last=Everett|first=Cory|title=Exclusive: Interview with 'Haywire' & 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' Poster Designer Neil Kellerhouse|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2011/07/exclusive-interview-with-haywire-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-poster-designer-neil-kellerhouse-117244/|access-date=January 22, 2020|website=[[IndieWire]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation|Penske Business Media, LLC]]|date=July 27, 2011|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143938/https://www.indiewire.com/2011/07/exclusive-interview-with-haywire-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-poster-designer-neil-kellerhouse-117244/|url-status=live}}</ref> As he wanted to highlight the tremendous drama that went with Mark Zuckerberg's success, Kellerhouse thought of the tagline "You don't get to 300 million friends without making a few enemies"; he would later adjust the line to "500 million friends" in anticipation of Facebook reaching 500 million users by the film's release date.<ref name="Haywire"/> Kellerhouse's poster has been praised for its unique and "striking" design, and alongside his work for the film ''[[I'm Still Here (2010 film)|I'm Still Here]]'', has since become influential in film marketing; posters for ''[[The King's Speech]]'' and ''[[The Armstrong Lie]]'' strongly evoked the poster's design format.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rawsthorn|first=Alice|title=If There Were an Oscar for Film Titles|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/arts/21iht-design21.html|access-date=January 22, 2020|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 20, 2011|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143939/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/arts/21iht-design21.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Ward|first=Jason|title=The great poster riddle: why the Lance Armstrong movie promo looks familiar|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/14/program-lance-armstrong-social-network-copycat-movie-posters|access-date=January 22, 2020|work=[[The Guardian]]|location=[[London]]|date=August 14, 2015|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143943/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/14/program-lance-armstrong-social-network-copycat-movie-posters|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Trailers ===
The film's first [[teaser trailer]] was released on June 25, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2010/06/25/social-network-teaser-trailer|title=EXCLUSIVE: First Teaser For "The Social Network" &#91;VIDEO&#93;|author=Warren, Christina|date=June 25, 2010|publisher=[[Mashable]]|access-date=June 26, 2010|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144002/https://mashable.com/2010/06/25/social-network-teaser-trailer/|url-status=live}}</ref> The second teaser was released on July 8.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collider.com/2010/07/08/2nd-teaser-trailer-the-social-network |title=2nd Teaser Trailer for THE SOCIAL NETWORK |author=Weintraub, Steve |date=July 8, 2010 |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |access-date=July 8, 2010 |archive-date=July 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100710225304/http://www.collider.com/2010/07/08/2nd-teaser-trailer-the-social-network/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The full length theatrical trailer debuted on July 16, 2010, which plays an edited version of the song "[[Creep (Radiohead song)|Creep]]", originally by [[Radiohead]], covered by the Belgian choir group [[Scala & Kolacny Brothers]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/07/15/2010-07-15_social_network_trailer_premieres_and_represents_facebooks_ceo_mark_zuckerberg_as.html |title='Social Network' trailer premieres and represents Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, as a 'creep' |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |date=July 16, 2010 |access-date=August 21, 2010 |location=[[New York (state)|New York]] |first=Soraya |last=Roberts |archive-date=July 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718205626/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/07/15/2010-07-15_social_network_trailer_premieres_and_represents_facebooks_ceo_mark_zuckerberg_as.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Filmissimo">{{cite web |title=The social network and Creep sung by Scala & Kolacny Brothers |date=October 7, 2010 |website=Filmissimo.it |url=http://www.filmissimo.it/blog/creep-la-cover-dei-scala-kolacny-brothers-riportata-al-successo-con-the-social-network.html |access-date=October 7, 2010 |archive-date=September 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906225257/http://www.filmissimo.it/blog/creep-la-cover-dei-scala-kolacny-brothers-riportata-al-successo-con-the-social-network.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The trailer was then shown in theaters, prior to the films ''[[Inception]]'', ''[[Dinner for Schmucks]]'', ''[[Salt (2010 film)|Salt]]'', ''[[Easy A]]'', ''[[The Virginity Hit]]'', and ''[[The Other Guys]]''. The theatrical trailer, put together by [[Mark Woollen|Mark Woollen & Associates]], won the Grand Key Art award at the 2011 [[Key Art Awards]],<ref>{{cite web |title=2011 Key Art Awards |url=http://www.keyartaward.com/catalog/2011/av |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924170300/http://www.keyartaward.com/catalog/2011/av/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2011 |website=[[Key Art Awards]] |access-date=January 20, 2012}}</ref> sponsored by ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', and was also featured on ''The Film Informant''{{'}}s Perfect 10 Trailers in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Perfect 10 Trailers |url=http://thefilminformant.com/category/perfect-ten-trailers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030143000/http://thefilminformant.com/category/perfect-ten-trailers/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 30, 2011 |work=The Social Network Marketing Media |publisher=The Film Informant |access-date=January 20, 2012}}</ref>

== Release ==
''The Social Network'' premiered at the [[New York Film Festival]] on September 24, 2010.<ref name="NYFF"/>

=== Box office ===
The film was released in theaters in the United States on the weekend of October 1–3, 2010. It debuted at No. 1, grossing $22.4 million in 2,771 theaters.<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo"/>  The film retained the top spot in its second weekend, dropping only 31.2%,<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo"/> breaking ''[[Inception]]''{{'}}s 32.0% record as the smallest second weekend drop for any number-one film of 2010, while being the third-smallest overall behind ''[[Secretariat (film)|Secretariat]]''{{'}}s 25.1% drop and [[Tooth Fairy (2010 film)|''Tooth Fairy'']]'s 28.6% drop. At the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed $97 million in the United States and $128 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $224.9 million.<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo"/>

=== Critical reception ===
[[File: Jesse Eisenberg - La red social - Madrid - 2.jpg|thumb|[[Jesse Eisenberg]] received critical acclaim for his performance as Mark Zuckerberg, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.]]
''The Social Network'' received widespread critical acclaim.  On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 333 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Impeccably scripted, beautifully directed, and filled with fine performances, ''The Social Network'' is a riveting, ambitious example of modern filmmaking at its finest."<ref>{{cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=the_social_network |type=m |title=The Social Network (2010) |access-date=November 8, 2023 |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105080452/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-social-network |url-status=live}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 95 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>{{cite Metacritic |id=the-social-network |type=movie |title=The Social Network |access-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108035320/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-social-network/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://m.cinemascore.com |title=CinemaScore |access-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-date=December 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214005119/https://m.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

From ''[[The Guardian]]'', Peter Bradshaw gave the film four stars, praising David Fincher's directing as the "right intensity and claustrophobia for a story that takes place largely in a stupefyingly male environment at Harvard University in 2003".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/14/the-social-network-review|title=The Social Network – review|date=October 14, 2010|first=Peter|last=Bradshaw|website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=December 19, 2020|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214204547/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/14/the-social-network-review|url-status=live}}</ref> In her review for ''[[The Verge]]'', Kaitlyn Tiffany wrote positive comments on Aaron Sorkin's screenplay, writing that his "reflex for writing witty, whiny men with outsized intellect and poorly disguised narcissism serves as an advantage instead of a handicap."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/17/14946570/the-social-network-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-president-of-the-world|title=In 2010, The Social Network was searing — now it looks quaint|date=May 17, 2017|first=Kaitlyn|last=Tiffany|website=[[The Verge]]|access-date=December 19, 2020|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118005136/https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/17/14946570/the-social-network-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-president-of-the-world|url-status=live}}</ref> The film's editing by [[Kirk Baxter]] and [[Angus Wall]] was also lauded by critics, leading to their win of the [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/09/david-fincher-editor-three-weeks-cutting-social-network-opening-1234588052/|title=Why David Fincher's Editor Spent Three Weeks Cutting Together 'Social Network' Opening|date=September 21, 2020|first=Zach|last=Sharf|publisher=[[IndieWire]]|access-date=December 19, 2020|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126173553/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/09/david-fincher-editor-three-weeks-cutting-social-network-opening-1234588052/|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, the film's [[The Social Network (soundtrack)|score]] received positive commentary, with some reviewers stating that it was "a persistent source of simmering tension in the movie", and a "masterpiece".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2100489/trent-reznor-atticus-ross-the-social-network-score/columns/sounding-board/|title=The Social Network And 10 Years Of Reznor & Ross Scores|date=September 30, 2020|first=James|last=Rettig|website=[[Stereogum]]|access-date=December 19, 2020|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114002534/https://www.stereogum.com/2100489/trent-reznor-atticus-ross-the-social-network-score/columns/sounding-board/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://huntingitdown.com/2018/12/27/what-makes-the-social-network-soundtrack-great/|title=What Makes the Social Network Soundtrack Great?|date=December 27, 2018|first=Hunter|last=Church|website=Hunting It Down|access-date=December 19, 2020|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031130147/https://huntingitdown.com/2018/12/27/what-makes-the-social-network-soundtrack-great/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', giving it four stars and naming it the best film of the year, wrote: "David Fincher's film has the rare quality of being not only as smart as its brilliant hero, but in the same way. It is cocksure, impatient, cold, exciting and instinctively perceptive."<ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=September 29, 2010|title=The Social Network movie review (2010)|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-social-network-2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416075400/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-social-network-2010|archive-date=16 April 2013|access-date=December 23, 2020|website=[[RogerEbert.com]]|via=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]}}</ref><!--This Roger Ebert quote looks like a misprint even though it's a quote from his website. It should probably read, "David Fincher's film has the rare quality of being not only as smart as its brilliant hero, but in the same way it is cocksure, impatient, cold, exciting and instinctively perceptive." – or something like that. I'll write to Roger before changing it.--> [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' gave the film his first full four-star rating of the year and said: "''The Social Network'' is the movie of the year. But Fincher and Sorkin triumph by taking it further. Lacing their scathing wit with an aching sadness, they define the dark irony of the past decade."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/45905/210633 |title=The Social Network, Rolling Stone Movies, News and Reviews |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=September 30, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143946/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[The Harvard Crimson]]'' review called it "flawless" and gave it five stars.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/9/30/zuckerberg-facebook-social-movie |last=Leskowitz |first=Ali R. |title=Ambition and Obsession Drive Fincher's Flawless 'Social Network' |website=[[The Harvard Crimson]] |date=September 30, 2010 |access-date=April 19, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144004/https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/9/30/zuckerberg-facebook-social-movie/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Joe Morgenstern]] in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' praised the film as exhilarating but noted: "The biographical part takes liberties with its subject. Aaron Sorkin based his screenplay on [...] ''The Accidental Billionaires'', so everything that's seen isn't necessarily to be believed."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704483004575523822326312414?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_6 |title=Social Network: Password Is Perfection |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=October 9, 2010 |first=Joe |last=Morgenstern |date=October 1, 2010 |archive-date=May 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514065140/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704483004575523822326312414?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_6 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Nathan Heller of ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' wrote a negative review of the film, describing it as "rote and deeply mediocre" as well as "maddeningly generic", and said that, "Sorkin and Fincher's 2003 Harvard is a citadel of old money, regatta blazers, and (if I am not misreading the implication here) a Jewish underclass striving beneath the heel of a [[WASP]]-centric, socially draconian culture... to get the university this wrong in this movie is no small matter."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/10/what-the-social-network-gets-wrong-about-harvard-and-facebook.html|title=What The Social Network gets wrong about Harvard—and Facebook.|first=Nathan|last=Heller|date=October 1, 2010|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114222042/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/10/what-the-social-network-gets-wrong-about-harvard-and-facebook.html|archive-date=November 14, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

''The Social Network'' appeared on 78 film critics' top-ten lists of the best films of 2010, based on Metacritic's aggregation. Out of the critics, 22 ranked the film first, and 12 ranked the film second. Out of the films of 2010, ''The Social Network'' appeared on the most top-ten lists.<ref name="2010 Film Critic Top Ten Lists">{{cite web |url=http://features.metacritic.com/features/2010/film-critic-top-ten-lists |title=2010 Film Critic Top Ten Lists |access-date=January 6, 2011 |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=January 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111180332/http://features.metacritic.com/features/2010/film-critic-top-ten-lists/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2010: The year in review|url=http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/polls/films-of-2010-intro.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803004307/http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/polls/films-of-2010-intro.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 August 2012|website=BFI &#124; Sight & Sound|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]|access-date=7 February 2016|date=18 January 2012}}</ref> In 2016, ''The Social Network'' was voted the 27th-best film of the 21st century by the BBC, as voted on by 177 film critics from around the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160819-the-21st-centurys-100-greatest-films?ocid=twcul |title=The 21st Century's 100 Greatest Films |work=[[BBC]] |date=August 23, 2016 |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=September 4, 2016 |archive-date=August 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823184121/http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160819-the-21st-centurys-100-greatest-films?ocid=twcul |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, [[IndieWire]] writers ranked the script the fourth best American screenplay of the 21st century, with Michael Nordine arguing that "everything came together nearly perfectly on the film, thanks in large part to Aaron Sorkin's Oscar-winning screenplay. Its finds the loquacious scribe at his best, with all the verbal takedowns [...] and rapid-fire back-and-forths we've come to expect (and, more often than not, love) from him. Sorkin's portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg was hardly flattering, but recent headlines suggest it may have been too sympathetic."<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Dry|first1=Jude|last2=O'Falt|first2=Chris|last3=Erbland|first3=Kate|last4=Kohn|first4=Eric|last5=Sharf|first5=Zack|last6=Marotta|first6=Jenna|last7=Thompson|first7=Anne|last8=Earl|first8=William|last9=Nordine|first9=Michael|last10=Ehrlich|first10=David|author-link7=Anne Thompson (film journalist)|date=April 20, 2018|title=The 25 Best American Screenplays of the 21st Century, From 'Eternal Sunshine' to 'Lady Bird'|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/04/best-screenplays-scripts-american-1201952200/|access-date=February 4, 2021|publisher=[[IndieWire]]|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119174929/https://www.indiewire.com/2018/04/best-screenplays-scripts-american-1201952200/|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Top ten lists====
''The Social Network'' appeared on over 70 critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2010. Over a dozen publications ranked the film first in their lists.<ref name="2010 Film Critic Top Ten Lists"/>
{{Div col}}
* 1st&nbsp;– [[Peter Travers]], ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– [[Roger Ebert]], ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– [[Christy Lemire]], [[Associated Press]]
* 1st&nbsp;– Andrea Grunvall, ''[[Chicago Reader]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– [[Owen Gleiberman]] and [[Lisa Schwarzbaum]], ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– Betsy Sharkey and [[Kenneth Turan]], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– Rene Rodriguez, ''[[Miami Herald]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– Stephen Holden, ''[[The New York Times]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– [[David Denby (film critic)|David Denby]], ''[[The New Yorker]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– [[Now (newspaper)|Now Magazine]]
* 1st&nbsp;– Tim Robey, ''[[Telegraph]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– Joshua Rothkopf, ''[[Time Out New York]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– Ann Hornaday, ''[[Washington Post]]''
* 1st&nbsp;– [[Joe Morgenstern]], ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''
* 2nd&nbsp;– [[Richard Brody]], ''[[The New Yorker]]''
* 2nd&nbsp;– [[Glenn Kenny]], ''[[MSN Movies]]''
* 2nd&nbsp;– [[Ty Burr]], ''[[The Boston Globe]]''
* 2nd&nbsp;– Tasha Robinson, ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
* 2nd&nbsp;– [[Phillip French ]], ''[[The Observer]]''
* 2nd&nbsp;– [[Todd McCarthy]] & Kirk Honeycutt ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''
* 3rd&nbsp;– [[Richard Roeper]], ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''
* 3rd&nbsp;– [[Stephanie Zacharek]], ''[[Movieline]]''
* 3rd&nbsp;– [[Anne Thompson (film critic)|Anne Thompson]], ''[[Indiewire]]''
* 3rd&nbsp;– Keith Phipps & Noel Murray ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
* 4th&nbsp;– Scott Tobias, ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
* 4th&nbsp;– Chris Vogner, ''[[Dallas Morning News]]''
* 4th&nbsp;– Joe Neumaier & Elizabeth Weitzman, ''[[New York Daily News]]''
* 5th&nbsp;– [[Richard Corliss]], [[Time (magazine)|''Time'']]
* 5th&nbsp;– [[David Ehrenstein]], ''[[L.A. Weekly]]''
* 7th&nbsp;– [[Nathan Rabin]], ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
* 7th&nbsp;– [[Claudia Puig]], ''[[USA Today]]''
* 7th&nbsp;– [[Mick LaSalle]], ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]''
* 8th&nbsp;– [[David Ansen]], ''[[Newsweek]]''
* 9th&nbsp;– [[James Berardinelli]], ''Reelviews''
* Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked)&nbsp;– [[Wesley Morris]], ''[[The Boston Globe]]''
* Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked)&nbsp;– [[Steven Rea]], ''[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]''
* Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked)&nbsp;– [[Dana Stevens (critic)|Dana Stevens]], ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]''
{{div col end}}

=== Home media ===
''The Social Network'' was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] on January 11, 2011 by [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]]. In its first week of release, DVD sales totaled $13,470,305 and it was the number-one-sold DVD of the week.<ref>{{cite the numbers |id=Social-Network-The-(2010) |title=The Social Network |access-date=February 11, 2021 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143959/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Social-Network-The-(2010) |url-status=live}}</ref> The DVD includes an [[audio commentary]] with director David Fincher, and a second commentary with writer Aaron Sorkin and the cast. The Blu-ray and two-disc DVD releases include the commentaries, along with a feature-length documentary, ''How Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook?'', featurettes, ''Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter and Ren Klyce on Post'', ''Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and David Fincher on the Score'', ''In the Hall of the Mountain King: Reznor's First Draft'', ''[[Swarmatron]]'', ''Jeff Cronenweth and David Fincher on the Visuals'', and a Ruby Skye VIP Room: Multi-Angle Scene Breakdown feature.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://homevideo.about.com/od/dvdr6/fr/The-Social-Network-DVD-Review-a.htm |title=DVD Pick: 'The Social Network' |last=Redwine |first=Ivana |publisher=About.com |access-date=February 1, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143942/https://www.thoughtco.com/mark-zuckerberg-biography-1991135 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film was released on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] in October 2021 as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection (Volume 2), featuring a new [[Dolby Atmos]] mix and upscaled [[Dolby Vision]]/[[HDR10]] transfer from the film's [[2K resolution|2K]] master.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Social Network - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Columbia Classics Vol. 2) Ultra HD Review |url=https://ultrahd.highdefdigest.com/99770/thesocialnetwork4kultrahdbluraycolumbiaclassicsvol2.html |access-date=September 30, 2022 |publisher=High Def Digest |archive-date=September 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930211420/https://ultrahd.highdefdigest.com/99770/thesocialnetwork4kultrahdbluraycolumbiaclassicsvol2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Accolades ==
{{Main|List of accolades received by The Social Network{{!}}List of accolades received by ''The Social Network''}}
''The Social Network'' won the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama Golden Globe]] at the [[68th Golden Globe Awards]] on January 16, 2011.<ref name="HFPA">{{cite web |url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations |title=HFPA – Nominations and Winners |access-date=January 16, 2011 |publisher=Golden Globes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120719/http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/ |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The film also won the awards for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]], and Best Original Score, making it the film with the most wins of the night.<ref name="SUTGoldenGlobes">{{cite news |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2011/jan/16/social-network-has-lead-at-globes-with-3-prizes/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306035843/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2011/jan/16/social-network-has-lead-at-globes-with-3-prizes/ |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |title='Social Network' has lead at Globes with 3 prizes |access-date=January 16, 2011 |author=Germain, David |work=[[Forbes]]|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The film was nominated for seven [[British Academy Film Awards]], including [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]], [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor in a Leading Role]] (Eisenberg), [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role|Best Actor in a Supporting Role]] (Garfield), and [[Rising Star Award, BAFTA|Rising Star Award]] (Garfield). It won three for [[BAFTA Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]], [[BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Adapted Screenplay]], and [[BAFTA Award for Best Direction|Best Direction]] on February 13, 2011.<ref name="BAFTA-Past-Winners&Nominees">{{cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/nominations/?year=2010 |title=BAFTA Past Winners and Nominees |access-date=February 14, 2011 |publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] |archive-date=December 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223150238/http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/nominations/?year=2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

''The Social Network'' was nominated for eight [[Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]], [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]], Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, [[Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing|Best Sound Mixing]], and [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]].<ref name="Oscars">{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/83/nominees.html |title=Winners and Nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards |access-date=March 24, 2011 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904121804/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/83/nominees.html |url-status=live}}</ref> It also won three for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Film Editing at the [[83rd Academy Awards]] on February 27, 2011.

The film won Best Picture from the [[National Board of Review]], [[National Society of Film Critics]], [[New York Film Critics Circle]], and [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]], making it only the third film in history—after ''[[Schindler's List]]'' (1993) and ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997)—to sweep the "Big Four" critics awards.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/455955/The-Social-Network/awards |title=The Social Network – Cast, Crew, Director and Awards |access-date=March 3, 2012 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144007/https://www.nytimes.com/reviews/movies |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-status=live}}</ref> The film also won the "Hollywood Ensemble Award" from the [[Hollywood Film Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.etonline.com/movies/101781_Angelina_Leo_Vote_for_Your_Faves_for_the_Hollywood_Awards/index.html |title=Angelina! Leo! Vote for Your Faves for the Hollywood Awards |publisher=ETOnline.com |access-date=October 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019175443/http://www.etonline.com/movies/101781_Angelina_Leo_Vote_for_Your_Faves_for_the_Hollywood_Awards/index.html |archive-date=October 19, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

== Historical accuracy ==
[[File:Mark Zuckerberg at the 37th G8 Summit in Deauville 018 v1.jpg|thumb|upright|right|[[Mark Zuckerberg]] expressed his dissatisfaction with a film being made about him and noted that much of the plot was not factual.]]
The script was [[internet leak|leaked]] online in July 2009.<ref>{{citation |last=McCarthy |first=Caroline |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/facebook-movie-screenplay-reportedly-doesnt-suck/ |title=Facebook movie screenplay reportedly doesn't suck|publisher=[[CNET]] |date=July 8, 2009 |access-date=August 21, 2010 |archive-date=April 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422035419/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10282369-36.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Harlow, John (2010-05-16). [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7127721.ece "Movie depicts seamy life of Facebook boss"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143953/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/ |date=November 18, 2020}}. ''Timesonline.co.uk''. Retrieved September 23, 2010.</ref> In November 2009, executive producer [[Kevin Spacey]] said, "''The Social Network'' is probably going to be a lot funnier than people might expect it to be."<ref>Ditzian, Eric. (October 11, 2009). [http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/11/10/kevin-spacey-says-the-social-network-will-be-a-lot-funnier-than-you-think "Kevin Spacey Says 'The Social Network' Will Be 'A Lot Funnier' Than You Think"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143945/http://www.mtv.com/news/movies/2009/11/10/kevin-spacey-says-the-social-network-will-be-a-lot-funnier-than-you-think/ |date=November 18, 2020}}. ''MTV.com''. Retrieved November 19, 2009.</ref> ''[[Cardinal Courier Media|The Cardinal Courier]]'' stated that the film was about "greed, obsession, unpredictability and sex" and asked, "Although there are over 500 million Facebook users, does this mean Facebook can become a profitable blockbuster movie?"<ref name="Surprise">{{cite news|last=Stokes|first=Jessica|url=http://media.www.cardinalcourieronline.com/media/storage/paper1247/news/2009/10/23/Lifestyles/Facebook.The.Movie-3812146.shtml|title=Facebook the movie?|date=October 27, 2009|newspaper=[[Cardinal Courier Media|Cardinal Courier Online]]|access-date=November 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830165513/http://media.www.cardinalcourieronline.com/media/storage/paper1247/news/2009/10/23/Lifestyles/Facebook.The.Movie-3812146.shtml|archive-date=August 30, 2010|location=Pittsford, New York|format=[[XHTML]] 1.0 Strict - College Media Network|df=mdy-all}}<!--If the current URL fails, use this: http://www.cardinalcourieronline.com/2.13653/facebook-the-movie-1.1761527--></ref>

At the D8 conference hosted by [[Walt Mossberg|D: All Things Digital]] on June 2, 2010, host [[Kara Swisher]] told Zuckerberg she knew he was not happy with ''The Social Network'' being based on him, to which he replied, "I just wished that nobody made a movie of me while I was still alive."<ref>{{cite web |access-date=June 26, 2010 |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20006653-56.html |title=Zuckerberg in the hot seat at D8 |publisher=[[CNET]] |date=June 2, 2010 |author=Fried, Ina |archive-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605093302/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20006653-56.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Zuckerberg stated to [[Oprah Winfrey]] that the drama and partying of the film is mostly fiction, and that he had spent most of the past six years focusing, working hard, and coding Facebook.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=October 9, 2010 |url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Viewers-React-to-Waiting-For-Superman/11 |title=Education for All |website=Oprah.com |date=September 24, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144007/http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Viewers-React-to-Waiting-For-Superman/11 |url-status=live}}</ref> Speaking to an audience at Stanford University, Zuckerberg said that instead of making Facebook to "get girls", he made it because he enjoyed "building things".<ref name="TheGuardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/20/mark-zuckerberg-the-social-network |title=Mark Zuckerberg rejects his portrayal in 'The Social Network' |last=Child |first=Ben |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=January 15, 2011 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=[[London]] |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143952/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/20/mark-zuckerberg-the-social-network |url-status=live}}</ref> He added that the film accurately depicted his wardrobe, saying, "It's interesting the stuff that they focused on getting right—like every single shirt and fleece they had in that movie is actually a shirt or fleece that I own."<ref name="TheGuardian"/>

Facebook co-founder [[Dustin Moskovitz]] called the film a "dramatization of history ... it is interesting to see my past rewritten in a way that emphasizes things that didn't matter, (like the Winklevosses, who I've still never even met and had no part in the work we did to create the site over the past 6 years) and leaves out things that really did (like the many other people in our lives at the time, who supported us in innumerable ways)". According to Moskovitz:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2010/07/facebook_founder_says_the_soci.html|url-access=limited|title=Facebook Founder Says ''The Social Network'' 'Emphasizes Things That Didn't Matter'|date=July 17, 2010|first=Mike|last=Vilensky|website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]|access-date=April 15, 2021|archive-date=April 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415170744/https://www.vulture.com/2010/07/facebook_founder_says_the_soci.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{cquote|A lot of exciting things happened in 2004, but mostly we just worked a lot and stressed out about things; the version in the trailer seems a lot more exciting, so I'm just going to choose to remember that we drank ourselves silly and had a lot of sex with coeds. ... The plot of the book/script unabashedly attacked [Zuckerberg], but I actually felt like a lot of his positive qualities come out truthfully in the trailer (soundtrack aside). At the end of the day, they cannot help but portray him as the driven, forward-thinking genius that he is.
}}

Co-founder Eduardo Saverin said "the movie was clearly intended to be entertainment and not a fact-based documentary".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parcbench.com/2010/10/18/eduardo-saverin-saves-face-blogging-about-the-facebook-movie |title=Eduardo Saverin saves face blogging about 'The Facebook Movie' |website=Parcbench.com |date=October 18, 2010 |access-date=April 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210170104/http://www.parcbench.com/2010/10/18/eduardo-saverin-saves-face-blogging-about-the-facebook-movie/ |archive-date=February 10, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Sean Parker described the film and its depiction of him as "a morally reprehensible human being" as "a complete work of fiction,", and claimed that he remained friends with Saverin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Charlie |date=January 23, 2011 |title=Sean Parker Says "The Social Network" Is "Fiction" |url=https://mashable.com/archive/sean-parker-quotes |access-date=December 26, 2023 |website=[[Mashable]] |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227001313/https://mashable.com/archive/sean-parker-quotes |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gobry |first=Pascal-Emmanuel |date=January 24, 2011 |title=Sean Parker On The Social Network |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/sean-parker-on-the-social-network-2011-1 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |website=[[Business Insider]] |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227001313/https://www.businessinsider.com/sean-parker-on-the-social-network-2011-1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Sorkin said, "I don't want my fidelity to be to the truth; I want it to be to storytelling. What is the big deal about accuracy purely for accuracy's sake, and can we not have the true be the enemy of the good?"<ref name="NewYork"/>

Journalist [[Jeff Jarvis]] acknowledged the film was "well-crafted" but called it "the anti-social movie", objecting to Sorkin's decision to change various events and characters for dramatic effect, and dismissing it as "the story that those who resist the change society is undergoing want to see".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buzzmachine.com/2010/09/28/the-antisocial-movie |title=The anti-social movie |author=Jarvis, Jeff |website=BuzzMachine |date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143945/https://buzzmachine.com/2010/09/28/the-antisocial-movie/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Technology broadcaster [[Leo Laporte]] concurred, calling the film "anti-geek and [[Misogyny|misogynistic]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twitter.com/leolaporte/status/26132660071 |title=@kevinmarks Spot on Kevin. I'm a fan of Sorkin, but #tsn is anti-geek and misogynistic. @jeffjarvis agrees. |first=Leo |last=Laporte |author-link=Leo Laporte |work=[[Twitter]] |date=October 1, 2010 |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144007/https://twitter.com/leolaporte/status/26132660071 |url-status=live}}</ref> Sorkin responded to these allegations by saying, "I was writing about a very angry and deeply misogynistic group of people".<ref name="WomanProblem">{{cite web |last=Paskin |first=Willa |title=Sorkin Takes to the Blogs to Explain the Social Network Women Problem |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |date=October 12, 2010 |url=https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/aaron_sorkin_would_like_to_go.html |access-date=December 5, 2019 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143945/https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/aaron_sorkin_would_like_to_go.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Andrew Clark of ''The Guardian'' wrote that "there's something insidious about this genre of [docudrama] scriptwriting", wondering if "a 26-year-old businessman really deserves to have his name dragged through the mud in a murky mixture of fact and imagination for the general entertainment of the movie-viewing public?". Clark added, "I'm not sure whether Mark Zuckerberg is a punk, a genius or both. But I won't be seeing ''The Social Network'' to find out."<ref>{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Clark |title=The Social Network and docudrama dishonesty |date=September 24, 2010 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/andrew-clark-on-america/2010/sep/23/facebook-mark-zuckerberg |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=[[London]] |access-date=October 9, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143948/https://www.theguardian.com/business/andrew-clark-on-america/2010/sep/23/facebook-mark-zuckerberg |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Mashable]] founder and CEO [[Pete Cashmore]], blogging for [[CNN]], said: "If the Facebook founder [Zuckerberg] is concerned about being represented as anything but a genius with an industrious work ethic, he can breathe a sigh of relief."<ref>{{cite news |first=Pete |last=Cashmore |title=Why Zuckerberg should like the Facebook movie |date=October 1, 2010 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/30/facebook.movie.zuckerberg/index.html |work=CNNTech |access-date=October 9, 2010 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143951/http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/30/facebook.movie.zuckerberg/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Jessi Hempel, a technology writer for ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' who says she has known Zuckerberg "for a long time", wrote of the film:
{{cquote|The real-life Zuckerberg was maniacally focused on building a web site that could potentially connect everyone on the planet...By contrast, in the film he seems more obsessed with achieving the largesse that bad boy Sean Parker, an original Napster founder, portrays when he arrives to meet Zuckerberg at a New York restaurant.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jessi |last=Hempel |title=The incredibly untrue adventures of Mark Zuckerberg |date=September 24, 2010 |url=http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/24/the-incredibly-untrue-adventures-of-mark-zuckerberg |work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |access-date=October 9, 2010 |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008123742/http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/24/the-incredibly-untrue-adventures-of-mark-zuckerberg/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

[[Harvard Law School]] professor [[Lawrence Lessig]] wrote in ''[[The New Republic]]'' that Sorkin's screenplay does not acknowledge the "real villain" of the story:
{{cquote|The total and absolute absurdity of the world where the engines of a federal lawsuit get cranked up to adjudicate the hurt feelings (because "our idea was stolen!") of entitled Harvard undergraduates is completely missed by Sorkin. We can't know enough from the film to know whether there was actually any substantial legal claim here. Sorkin has been upfront about the fact that there are fabrications aplenty lacing the story. But from the story as told, we certainly know enough to know that any legal system that would allow these kids to extort $65 million from the most successful business this century should be ashamed of itself. Did Zuckerberg breach his contract? Maybe, for which the damages are more like $650, not $65 million. Did he steal a trade secret? Absolutely not. Did he steal any other "property"? Absolutely not—the code for Facebook was his, and the "idea" of a social network is not a patent. It wasn't justice that gave the twins $65 million; it was the fear of a random and inefficient system of law. That system is a tax on innovation and creativity. That tax is the real villain here, not the innovator it burdened.<ref>{{cite news |first=Lawrence |last=Lessig |title=Sorkin vs. Zuckerberg |date=October 1, 2010 |url=http://www.tnr.com/print/article/books-and-arts/78081/sorkin-zuckerberg-the-social-network |magazine=[[The New Republic]] |access-date=October 9, 2010 |archive-date=October 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101004175420/http://www.tnr.com/print/article/books-and-arts/78081/sorkin-zuckerberg-the-social-network |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

In an onstage discussion with the ''[[The Huffington Post|Huffington Post]]'' co-founder [[Arianna Huffington]] in 2010, Facebook's chief operating officer, [[Sheryl Sandberg]], said the film was "very Hollywood" and mainly "fiction". She said that "in real life, [Zuckerberg] was just sitting around with his friends in front of his computer, ordering pizza. Who wants to go see that for two hours?".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.cnet.com/site?sid=cnet&pid=News.Detail&category=&topic=20018070&changeTitle=Sandberg%3A%20It's%20more%20than%20a%20'Facebook%20phone'%20-%20CNET%20News%20 |title=Sandberg: It's more than a 'Facebook phone' |first=Caroline |last=McCarthy |work=[[CNET|CNET News]] |date=September 29, 2010 |access-date=October 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923045859/http://m.cnet.com/site?sid=cnet |archive-date=September 23, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[HarvardConnection]] co-founder [[Divya Narendra]] said that he was surprised to see himself portrayed by the non-Indian actor Max Minghella, but said he did a "good job in pushing the dialogue forward and creating a sense of urgency in what was a very frustrating period".<ref>{{cite news |last=Zhu |first=Katherine |title=Divya Narendra on being a Wildcat, ''The Social Network'' and his suit against Facebook |work=[[North by Northwestern]] |date=November 10, 2010 |url=http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/11/97172/divya-narendra-on-being-a-wildcat-the-social-network-and-his-suit-against-facebook |access-date=January 19, 2011 |archive-date=November 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115145806/http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/11/97172/divya-narendra-on-being-a-wildcat-the-social-network-and-his-suit-against-facebook/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
=== Preliminary impact ===
Since its release, ''The Social Network'' has inspired involvement in start-ups and social media.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.firepolemarketing.com/entrepreneur-motivation |title=A Kick in the Butt from Fake Mark Zuckerberg |website=Firepole Marketing |access-date=April 22, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143946/https://mirasee.com/blog/business-owner-titles/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Bob Lefsetz]] has stated that: "watching this movie makes you want to run from the theatre, grab your laptop and build your own empire,"<ref name="hardknoxlife.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.hardknoxlife.com/2010/10/07/the-social-network-will-inspire-an-entirely-new-generation-of-entrepreneurs/ |title="The Social Network" will inspire an entirely new generation of entrepreneurs |website=Hard Knox Life |access-date=April 22, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075607/http://www.hardknoxlife.com/2010/10/07/the-social-network-will-inspire-an-entirely-new-generation-of-entrepreneurs/ |archive-date=April 29, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> noting that ''The Social Network'' has helped fuel an emerging perception that "techies have become the new rock stars."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://socialmediatoday.com/daveknox/198444/%E2%80%9C-social-network%E2%80%9D-will-inspire-entirely-new-generation-entrepreneurs |title=The Social Network |website=Social Media Today |access-date=April 22, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124091014/http://socialmediatoday.com/daveknox/198444/%E2%80%9C-social-network%E2%80%9D-will-inspire-entirely-new-generation-entrepreneurs |archive-date=November 24, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> This has led Dave Knox to comment that: "fifteen years from now we might just look back and realize this movie inspired our next great generation of entrepreneurs."<ref name="hardknoxlife.com"/> After seeing the movie, Zuckerberg was quoted as saying he is "interested to see what effect ''The Social Network'' has on entrepreneurship", noting that he gets "lots of messages from people who claim that they have been very much inspired... to start their own company."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mashable.com/2010/10/06/mark-zuckerbergs-take-on-the-social-network-interview/ |title=Mark Zuckerberg's Take on "The Social Network" |publisher=[[Mashable]] |date=October 6, 2010 |access-date=April 22, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143951/https://mashable.com/2010/10/06/mark-zuckerbergs-take-on-the-social-network-interview/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Saverin echoed these sentiments, stating that the film may inspire "countless others to create and take that leap to start a new business."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2010/10/15/facebook-cofounder-speaks-publicly-what-i-learned-from-watching-the-social-network.html |title=Facebook Co-Founder Speaks Publicly: What I Learned From Watching "The Social Network" |date=October 15, 2010 |publisher=[[CNBC]] |access-date=April 22, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143948/https://www.cnbc.com/id/39675388 |url-status=live}}</ref> In one such instance, the co-founders of [[Wall Street Magnate]] confirmed that they were inspired to create the fantasy trading community after watching ''The Social Network''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bootcamp.com/interview.jsp?interviewId=1589 |title=Consumer friendly stock simulation: Wall Street Magnate |publisher=Bootcamp.com |access-date=April 22, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143952/http://www.bootcamp.com/interview.jsp?interviewId=1589 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Following his success with the film, Sorkin became attached to another project about a technology company, writing the script for the 2015 biopic ''[[Steve Jobs (film)|Steve Jobs]]'', which used a similar format.<ref name="hollywood.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/56803168/david-fincher-in-talks-to-direct-steve-jobs-movie-written-by-aaron-sorkin-walter-isaacson |title=All the Ways Fincher and Sorkin's Steve Jobs Biopic Will Be Just Like 'Social Network' |website=[[Hollywood.com]] |date=February 26, 2014 |access-date=April 22, 2014 |archive-date=April 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075907/http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/56803168/david-fincher-in-talks-to-direct-steve-jobs-movie-written-by-aaron-sorkin-walter-isaacson |url-status=live}}</ref> Another Facebook film may be produced, as Sheryl Sandberg has signed a deal with [[Sony Pictures Entertainment]] to develop her 2013 book ''[[Lean In|Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead]]'', into a film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/139031/From-The-Social-Network-To-Lean-In-Facebook-COO-Sheryl-Sandberg-To-Release-Film |title=From The Social Network To Lean In: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg To Release Film |website=Entertainmentwise.com |access-date=April 22, 2014 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143952/https://www.entertainmentwise.com/bio/sheryl-sandberg/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Post-2010s assessment ===
Following the close of the decade, ''The Social Network'' was recognized as one of the best films of the 2010s. [[Metacritic]] reported that it was listed on over 30 film critics' top-ten lists for the 2010s, including eight first-place rankings and four second-place rankings. Metacritic ranked ''The Social Network'' third overall, following ''[[Mad Max: Fury Road]]'' and ''[[Moonlight (2016 film)|Moonlight]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-movies-of-the-decade-2010s | title=Best Movies of the Decade (2010-19) | work=[[Metacritic]] | date=February 10, 2020 | access-date=January 26, 2022 | archive-date=January 1, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101162640/https://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-movies-of-the-decade-2010s | url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' named ''The Social Network'' the best of the 2010s, calling it ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' "for the Internet age" and dubbing it "the movie of our new millennium".<ref name="Esquire">{{cite magazine | last=Nashawaty | first=Chris | url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/g29892894/best-movies-of-the-2010s/ | title=The Best Movies of the 2010s Represent Who We Are and Where We've Been | magazine=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] | date=November 25, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143953/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/g29892894/best-movies-of-the-2010s/ | url-status=live}}</ref> With Facebook going "from a utopian, world-shrinking force of good to a potential threat to democracy", ''Esquire'' wrote, "Fincher seemed to sense all of this and more long before anyone else. And his brilliant, troubling film bristles with that queasy sense of prophecy and prescience."<ref name="Esquire"/> ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'', calling ''The Social Network'' the best film of the decade, wrote, "''The Social Network'', by chance or by design, has become one of the most immensely relevant movies of this decade... But after nearly a decade of watching Facebook 'move fast and break things,' including news websites, social video, politics, etc., the movie's tangible sense of tension can easily be reinterpreted as foreboding for what comes ''after'' you make a billion friends."<ref>{{cite news | author=Staff | url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/5/20929735/best-movies-of-the-decade-2010s | title=The best movies of the decade, according to us | work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] | date=November 5, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=December 14, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214015003/https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/5/20929735/best-movies-of-the-decade-2010s | url-status=live}}</ref> Director [[Quentin Tarantino]] called the film the best of the 2010s, singling out the script by Sorkin, whom he described as "the greatest active dialogist".<ref>{{cite news | last=Shoard | first=Catherine | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/29/quentin-tarantino-the-social-network-best-film-of-2010s | title=Quentin Tarantino: The Social Network is 'hands down' the best film of 2010s | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=May 29, 2020 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 16, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116213149/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/29/quentin-tarantino-the-social-network-best-film-of-2010s | url-status=live}}</ref>

''Rolling Stone'' ranked ''The Social Network'' second after ''Moonlight'' (2016) on its end-of-decade list, describing it as "one deliciously re-watchable preview of the apocalypse, as entertaining and cheeky as it is troubling and startlingly prescient".<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Staff | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/best-movies-decade-2010s-910770/anomalisa-2015-2-910907/ | title=The 50 Best Movies of the 2010s | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=December 18, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144000/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/best-movies-decade-2010s-910770/anomalisa-2015-2-910907/ | url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' named it the fourth-best of the decade, "Powered by a relentless, clinical Aaron Sorkin script, directed with sinuous grace by David Fincher and loaded with smirking, smart-ass central performances, ''The Social Network'' is arguably the most important and prophetic film of our era, itself a depressing thought."<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Staff | url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/movies/the-50-best-movies-of-the-2010s | title=The 50 Best Movies of the 2010s | magazine=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] | date=December 18, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144020/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/movies/the-50-best-movies-of-the-2010s | url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[ScreenCrush]]'' ranked ''The Social Network'' eighth, referring to it as "[Fincher's] spiritual sequel to ''[[Fight Club (film)|Fight Club]]'', another story of an embittered, lonely man who discovers unleashing his rage at society has unexpected consequences".<ref>{{cite news | last=Singer | first=Matt | url=https://screencrush.com/best-movies-of-the-2010s-matt-singer/ | title=The Best Movies of the 2010s | work=[[ScreenCrush]] | date=October 21, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144003/https://screencrush.com/best-movies-of-the-2010s-matt-singer/ | url-status=live}}</ref> ''Mashable'', listing ''The Social Network'' among the top 15 films of the 2010s, said of the story, "It was everything young people could be and everything older generations feared in us before a decade of blaming [us for] problems we didn't create and can't solve."<ref>{{cite web | author=Staff | url=https://mashable.com/article/best-films-of-2010s-decade/ | title=The 15 best films of the 2010s | publisher=[[Mashable]] | date=October 14, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118143953/https://mashable.com/article/best-films-of-2010s-decade/ | url-status=live}}</ref> IndieWire ranked ''The Social Network'' sixteenth among the decade's films, writing, "''The Social Network'' is both a thrilling, queasy exploration of how Facebook came to be and a searing indictment of what it would inevitably become."<ref>{{cite news | last1=Ehrlich | first1=David | last2=Kohn | first2=Eric | last3=Erbland | first3=Kate | last4=Thompson | first4=Anne | last5=Sharf | first5=Zack | last6=O'Falt | first6=Chris | last7=Obenson | first7=Tambay | last8=Blauvelt | first8=Christian | last9=Lu | first9=Leah | last10=Zilko | first10=Christian | url=https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-movies-of-2010s-decade/ | title=The 100 Best Movies of the Decade | publisher=[[IndieWire]] | date=July 22, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=July 27, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727123349/https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-movies-of-2010s-decade/ | url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]]'' listed the film among those defining "class rage" in the 2010s, "As a gently prodding diagnosis of class conflict, ''The Social Network'' is a logical place to start."<ref>{{cite news | last=Meyer | first=Ted | url=https://www.inverse.com/article/61294-parasite-class-rage-movies-of-the-decade | title=From 'Parasite' to 'Social Network': Class rage defined the 2010s, in 10 movies | work=[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]] | date=November 30, 2019 | access-date=May 30, 2020 | archive-date=November 18, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144004/https://www.inverse.com/article/61294-parasite-class-rage-movies-of-the-decade | url-status=live}}</ref>

The February 2020 issue of ''[[New York Magazine]]'' lists ''The Social Network'' as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."<ref>{{cite news|title=The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-oscar-best-picture-losers.html|magazine=[[New York Magazine]]|access-date=March 30, 2025}}</ref>

In 2024, ''[[Looper (website)|Looper]]'' ranked it number 5 on its list of the "50 Best PG-13 Movies of All Time," writing "Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin's examination of Facebook's ascension in power and how that came at the cost of so many people's well-being and relationships has only gotten more prescient as the years have passed by. Plus, performances as good as the ones delivered here by Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield never go out of style."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.looper.com/806086/best-pg-13-movies-of-all-time-ranked/ | title=50 Best PG-13 Movies Of All Time Ranked | website=Looper | date=October 14, 2024 }}</ref>

In 2025, the film ranked number 10 on ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}} list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/movies/best-movies-21st-century.html | title=The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century | date=June 26, 2025 }}</ref>

== Future ==
In January 2019, Sorkin revealed that Rudin has suggested the development of a screenplay for a sequel, noting, "A lot of very interesting, dramatic stuff has happened since the movie ends."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1026877-aaron-sorkin-i|title=Aaron Sorkin Considering a Social Network Sequel|last=Hermanns|first=Grant|date=January 12, 2019|website=ComingSoon.net|access-date=January 13, 2019|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118144003/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1026877-aaron-sorkin-i|url-status=live}}</ref> Sorkin also mentioned that there was indeed enough material to create a sequel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/01/the-social-network-sequel-aaron-sorkin-considering-1202034866/|title='The Social Network' Sequel Is Getting Closer, Aaron Sorkin Says There's Enough New Material|date=January 14, 2019|first=Zack|last=Sharf|publisher=[[IndieWire]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222233501/https://www.indiewire.com/2019/01/the-social-network-sequel-aaron-sorkin-considering-1202034866/|archive-date=December 22, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref> On July 18, 2019, Eisenberg expressed his interests in starring in the proposed sequel, stating that "Sorkin is a genius, and if he chooses to write about something, I'll obviously be interested".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/jesse-eisenberg-social-network-sequel-1202159011/|title=Jesse Eisenberg Is Up For a 'Social Network' Sequel, But Nobody's Called Him Yet|date=July 18, 2019|first=Eric|last=Kohn|publisher=[[IndieWire]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222233739/https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/jesse-eisenberg-social-network-sequel-1202159011/|archive-date=December 22, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref> In October 2020, a decade after the film's release, Sorkin announced that he would only write the sequel's script if Fincher returned as director.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/the-social-network-sequel-aaron-sorkin-update/|title=Aaron Sorkin Wants to Write a 'Social Network' Sequel, But Only on One Condition|date=October 7, 2020|first=Gregory|last=Lawrence|website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222234157/https://collider.com/the-social-network-sequel-aaron-sorkin-update/|archive-date=December 22, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref> In 2023, Fincher told ''The Guardian'' that he and Sorkin have discussed a sequel, but said "that's a can of worms."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/27/david-fincher-on-hitmen-incels-and-spider-mans-dumb-origin-story|title='Who doesn't think they're an outsider?' David Fincher on hitmen, 'incels' and Spider-Man's 'dumb' origin story|first=Steve|last=Rose|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027053104/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/27/david-fincher-on-hitmen-incels-and-spider-mans-dumb-origin-story|archive-date=October 27, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=March 6, 2024}}</ref> On April 26, 2024, Sorkin said he had been working on the script for a new Facebook movie tied to the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Aaron Sorkin working on new Facebook movie tied to January 6 riots |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/aaron-sorkin-working-on-new-facebook-movie-tied-to-january-6-riots/article68113339.ece |access-date=April 27, 2024 |newspaper=The Hindu |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

On June 25, 2025, it was announced that a sequel, ''The Social Network Part II'', was in active development with Sorkin returning to write and direct.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2025-06-25 |title=‘The Social Network Part II’ In Works At Sony With Aaron Sorkin Set To Write And Direct; Pic Inspired By WSJ’s ‘The Facebook Files’ |url=https://deadline.com/2025/06/the-social-network-sequel-aaron-sorkin-1236439539/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
{{Portal|Film|Internet}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.thesocialnetwork-movie.com}}
* {{IMDb title|1285016|The Social Network}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|the-social-network|The Social Network}}
* [https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/thesocialnetwork-dl.pdf Official screenplay]

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|title = [[List of accolades received by The Social Network|Awards for ''The Social Network'']]
|list =
{{Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film}}
{{César Award for Best Foreign Film}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Film}}
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Film}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film}}
{{Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Film}}
{{Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film}}
{{Golden Globe Award Best Motion Picture Drama}}
{{Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture}}
{{IFTA Award for Best International Film}}
{{London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Film}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture}}
{{San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film}}
{{Satellite Award Best Motion Picture}}
{{St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Picture}}
{{TFCA Award for Best Film}}
{{Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film}}
{{Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Film}}
}}

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[[Category:2010 films]]
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[[Category:Films whose writer won the Best Adapted Screenplay BAFTA Award]]
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