The Social Network is shockingly entertaining for a movie that mostly features people talking in rooms, and that's because it tackles the problem with social networks, with the rise of Facebook as the backdrop. The movie has an omnipresent-like nature in pop culture and is just as relevant today as it was 11 years ago, if not more so.
But given how tied to Facebook the movie is, it was a tough development process, as Sony had to be very careful not to step on the social network's toes. Not only that but much of The Social Network's success is thanks to the exhausting efforts of the actors, too.
The Laptop Scene Was Exhausting For Andrew Garfield
David Fincher, director of The Social Network, is notorious for requiring exhaustingly long days on set, and he's also known for the vast number of takes he demands for each shot. That was no different went it came to the scene where Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) storms into the Facebook office and smashes Mark Zuckerberg's laptop on the floor.
According to Garfield, the director did close to 40 takes of the actor storming up to Eisenberg, smashing the laptop, and screaming at him. At the end of the day, Garfield was sitting on the floor, worried about how many more takes were ahead of him. But Fincher walked up to him, pulled him up, shook his hand, and said, "moving on."
Facebook Asked For Its Name Not To Be Used
The Social Network defines a generation for the way it depicts people's growing obsession with social media, but it wouldn't have had the same effect if Facebook's name wasn't used. According to Aaron Sorkin, executives of the social network requested that its name be taken out of the screenplay, an ironic request given the company's free speech policy.
Sorkin changed everything about the screenplay he needed to in order to satisfy Sony's legal team, so changing the name was never a problem. It's no surprise that Facebook didn't want its name attached to the movie, as the Sorkin-written film drags the company through the mud.
Aaron Sorkin Agreed To Write The Screenplay After Reading Three Pages Of The Book
Aaron Sorkin is one of the most sought-after writers in Hollywood, and he no doubt gets hundreds of offers every year, which makes it an incredible feat when he answers "yes" to something so quickly. The Social Network is based on the book The Accidental Billionaires, which was being shopped around movie studios while it was still being written.
In an interview with the Writers Guild of America, Sorkin explained that he was sold after just reading three pages. It was the fastest he had ever said yes to anything.
Jonah Hill Almost Played Sean Parker
Jonah Hill became known for his comedy roles in iconic movies like Superbad and Knocked Up, but in the 2010s, he took on more dramatic roles and has since become a two-time Oscar-nominated actor. But he could have had a nomination one year earlier, as he was up for the role of Sean Parker, which eventually went to Justin Timberlake.
It was great for the musician, as the movie became Justin Timberlake's best movie. But according to Collider, Hill missed out because, even though the studio wanted him in the role, Fincher didn't. The actor didn't miss out too much because, one year later, Hill starred in Moneyball, which was also written by Sorkin.
No Scenes Were Filmed At Harvard
Given that The Social Network follows a group of Harvard students fighting over who created Facebook, most of the movie is based in the college.
However, there wasn't a single scene shot at the Ivy League college. According to The Harvard Crimson, ever since 1969, the college has been hesitant to allow movie shoots on campus, as the shoot for Love Story destroyed their trees because of the fake snow. Instead, Fincher shot the movie at other colleges, such as Wheelock and Phillips Academy.
Armie Hammer And Josh Pence Were Sent To "Twin Boot Camp"
Armie Hammer and Josh Pence play the twins, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the Harvard alums who supposedly invented Facebook, although Hammer's face was digitally grafted onto Pence's face in post-production. Another example of how obsessed David Fincher could be, according to Mental Floss, he sent the two actors to "twin boot camp."
This meant that the two had to learn everything they possibly could about the Winklevoss twins. But it wasn't just in the short lead-up to the movie's production, the boot camp lasted for 10 whole months.
The Poster Needed To Be Designed From Just One Image Of Jesse Eisenberg
Neil Kellerhouse had the tough task of designing the poster with just one approved image of Jesse Eisenberg's head and the result is minimal but effective.
Ever since then, according to The New York Times, Kellerhouse has been hired to make similar posters based on the success of The Social Network poster. He has made familiar graphics for I'm Still Here, The King's Speech, and many others. Not only that, but many would think that it was Fincher or Sorkin who came up with the tagline, "You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies," but it was actually Kellerhouse.
Mark Zuckerberg Claims Most Of The Movie Is Inaccurate
Given that most of the movie paints Mark Zuckerberg in such a horrible light, it's no wonder that he has nothing but bad things to say about the movie. According to The Guardian, the Facebook founder believes that the 2010 movie is mostly inaccurate.
Zuckerberg claims that he never partied like how it was depicted in the movie, and he especially didn't start Facebook to become more popular with women. On top of that, he says that the only thing that the portrayal got right was the way he dressed at the time.
Andrew Garfield And Jesse Eisenberg Didn't Like The Movie After Watching It
When Andrew Garfield was asked about the movie years later, he admitted that he didn't like the movie when he first saw it. He didn't hate it because of the screenplay or because he didn't like Fincher's direction, but he instead blamed himself for how bad he thought the film was.
Garfield didn't like his performance at the time, and he says that Jesse Eisenberg felt the same way. But they were way too hard on themselves, as Eisenberg was nominated for an Academy Award and it's one of Andrew Garfield's best movies, according to Metacritic.
Aaron Sorkin Wants To Write The Social Network 2
There are so many reasons why The Social Network 2 should be made, whether it's because of the Cambridge Analytica scandal or the Mueller Report -- and Aaron Sorkin agrees. The celebrated writer would love to return to the world, but on one condition.
Sorkin said that he would only pen the script if David Fincher returned as the director. Eisenberg has said something similar, as he'd also be on board to reprise his role of Zuckerberg. It seems like the only person whose heart isn't in it is Fincher.