I’ve been struggling, I mean, REALLY struggling to find the words to best describe the unexplainable reason behind why so many big names in Hollywood are clamoring to get a movie about Facebook, tentatively called The Social Network, made and into theaters.
David Fincher has already been confirmed as the director of The Social Network and Kevin Spacey will be producing. Yes, that is the same David Fincher that directed last year’s acclaimed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and other great films like Se7en, Fight Club and Zodiac. He also reportedly is involved in a segment of the newest version of Heavy Metal. Every one already knows what projects Kevin Spacey has been involved with: Se7en, The Usual Suspects, and American Beauty are among some of his best.
Speaking to MTV News, Spacey had this to say about the progress of The Social Network:
“We’re at a very early stage, but I think it’s on the fast track. I think the film – they want to do it and maybe even do it this year. So it’s gonna happen.”
According to The Playlist, casting has already started on The Social Network and there are some A-list actors being considered for the project. Shia LaBeouf was rumored to be in the cast early on, but Spacey shot those down as “pre-mature.” Aaron Sorkin, who has done mostly TV dramas like West Wing, Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, wrote the script for The Social Network and after a great review, was tapped to re-write Brad Pitt’s vehicle Moneyball.
The story will follow the story of Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, and how he started it as a “Hot or Not” website for Harvard girls, only to expanded it into the $16 billion social networking site it is today. I’m sure there is some melodrama thrown in – probably a broken romance – and for sure it will deal with the “stress” of becoming an overnight billionaire (boo-hoo my heart bleeds for you). All that sounds like good material for a movie but is it really something audiences will want to watch during a time of recession?
I will admit that I am a Facebook addict (I’m updating my status while writing this article), but do I really want to pay $10 (or more) to watch a movie about how it became popular? It would seem to me that the whole idea would make a better Hallmark Channel TV movie, possibly starring Noah Wyle and of course Meredith Baxter Birney (she is required for ALL made-for-TV movies).
What doesn’t make sense to me is why all of these top Hollywood names are itching to get this movie made so quickly. The only reason I can come up with is that everyone involved has a Facebook page and checks it constantly with their ultra-hip iPhone. Speaking of which, as enamored with Apple as Hollywood is, you can bet that the iPhone will play a significant role in The Social Network movie (I am).
Still, with all the glowing press and accolades being heaped upon this idea, I can’t help but be curious if it will be as good as advertised. Of course, this may just turn out to be another fad movie in the long history of fad movies that Hollywood tends to capitalize on. Anyone remember Rad in the 80′s, Airborne and You’ve Got Mail in the 90′s? If anything, the movie should at least be profitable. I mean, how much can it cost to make a movie about an internet startup? Plus they’ll get free advertising and marketing on Facebook (oh great, more Facebook ads).
Oh well, I’m off to play Mafia Wars. Feel free to add me as a friend, I’m Paul Young; I’ve only got 304 and could use a few more.
Are you interested to watching a movie about a guy getting rich off Facebook or would you rather just update your status?
The Social Network currently has no release date.
Source: First Showing, The Playlist
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I really enjoyed “Pirates of Silicon Valley”, so I don’t know, a movie about the start of Facebook could actually be interesting.
@Aaron – PoSV was a TV movie though with Noah Wyle and Anthony Michael Hall. That’s why it worked. I just can’t see this being a big screen biopic type film.
merC
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I like facebook, but a movie about it? When are we gonna get Screen Rant the movie? Starring Jackie Earl Haley as Vic.
@Matt – We ar in negotiations with Timothy Olyphant to play Vic because he’s played bald before…crap my ‘backspace’ key won’t work…oh well.
LOL, Matt (that’s some of your best material)
I could totally see a Blogger movie in the future. (Especially since somebodies going to rip me off on this idea now that I posted it)
Well if your gonna rip me off do it right !!!
I would film it during Comic Con and it would cover the sites like SR and SF, on the front lines of the media frenzy surounding that show. It would also show how frustrating it is to get quality food and the crowds oh the crowds !!!
You guys are funny.
Vic
790,
may I borrow that idea from you? Except, I want to change it where you have two sets of bloggers going at each other over one topic.
Whether Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is a good installment to the Terminator franchise or not!
“Desire is irrelevant, I am a machine!”
Really, the notion of a film where you have David Fincher directing a script from Aaron Sorkin produced by Kevin Spacey, that alone makes me want to see the material…but for a movie about facebook?
Jacky Earl should play Vic in a movie where all the creators for internet movie sites like ScreenRant, Aint it Cool, LatinoReview, CHUD, etc., should duke it out in an underground bloodsport to see which site is the best.
I’d pay to see Vic kick Harry Knowles’ ass, mos def! Of course, Vic reigns supreme spilling more blood than Willis in his die hard movies.
I get 50% of everything,,, SK-47
Money, writing credit, royalties,,, and we have a deal.
Personally I think it would be funnier if they didn’t fight each other in a blood sport but rather we would see them frantically typing away on Blackberries and laptops trying to beat each other to the headline. Some sites would try and sabotage other sites computers by spilling drinks on them, launching worm viruses, hiring hookers, etc.
Its a comedy,,,
790 and SK-47 you guys are a hoot. Friend me and let’s work together a script. I’m thinking we can do the same thing Dizney did at the end of Chicken Little with the movie wihtin a movie. Anybody good with flash animation?
Well if your serious Paul, maybe we can work something out. I have to insist that Samuel Jackson not be involved.
Also,,,
I’m thinking there should be a sub story covering oh I don’t know let’s say, the staff from “Film School Rejects”. Part of the film would cover them driving to Comic Con and getting busted for pot in Nevada.
I know somebody who is really good at Flash.
You know what might be great, if we do a Duplicity thing where Vic hires Clive Owen to spy on CHUD and they hire Julia Roberts to spy on ScreenRant, etc. keeping with 790′s idea of trying to beat each other to the headlines.
Although, I really like the underground bloodsport idea. I wanna see Vic give a german suplex to JoBlo on the concrete.
Then have the climactic end-fight-scene where the ScreenRant crew gets into a parking lot brawl with the AICN guys and beat the holy hell out of them as if God was upset!
Of course I’m serious. I’m thinking it would make a fantastic viral video. I want to be played by Betty White though. She’s got comedic chops.
Also, we have to work in meeting Neil Patrick Harris along the way. I wonder if we could get Adam West for voice overs on such short notice.
BTW, still waiting on your friend request.
I’m thinking everyones corrupt and skeeming except Vic. He’s the calm cool guy that everyones trying to rip off because he gets an exclusive interview with Robert Downey jr.
Let’s write this a an R rated comedy so we can knock Hangover out of the top spot.
Don’t shoot too high, Hangover is going to be hard to beat. I say let’s aim to knock Land of the Lost from it’s ranking.
LMAO at you guys!
BTW, 790, the FSR guys didn’t REALLY drive to Comic-Con and get busted along they way.
Vic
Forget Hangover, lets make this Expendable style, a Men-On-A-Mission type movie where Vic recruits Kofi, Paul, Rob, Ross & Bruce and they have to bust into Comic-Con and take down the other site’s “journalists” to get the real scoop!
Yeah!
Let’s change the setting to the desert so we can included camels.
Yeah Vic but it makes for a good secondary plot.
Well Paul you and SK_47 work it out.
I’ll read what you guys come up and we’ll go from there. I don’t subscribe to any social networks so if this gets more serious well have to email each other.
alright 790, next you’re going to tell me that you don’t have a cell phone either. shoot em an eamil walwus@gmail.com
Let’s see what we can come up with.
email me here at:
knightwalkah@hotmail.com
This can be gold, Jerry, gold!
You guys work it out and let me know what you come up with,,,
That is pretty obnoxious. Why do they insist on making these movies before things have even really run their course? Who knows what might happen with Facebook in the future, for better or worse.
Just fyi, I read today that Facebook is being sued in California for privacy issues.
The suit states that Facebook sells the personal information to 3rd parties…
Facebook bad.