The Social Reckoning, a highly anticipated companion piece to The Social Network, is coming to Canadian theatres on Oct. 9, bringing the real-life story behind Facebook’s infamous whistleblower scandal to the big screen.
And Vancouver gets a starring role of its own here. The movie was largely filmed in the city, with familiar spots like the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University visible in the official teaser trailer. So, yes, you might recognize a few of the places on screen when you head to the theatre!
We’re giving away 10 pairs of tickets — five pairs to Toronto readers and five pairs to Vancouver readers — and you can enter by clicking here.
But in the meantime, here’s everything to know.
Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote The Social Network, the film picks up at a very different chapter in Facebook’s story.
This time, the focus is on the whistleblower whose decision to expose thousands of the company’s internal documents sparked a global reckoning.
At the centre of the story is Frances Haugen, a young Facebook engineer who secretly copied tens of thousands of internal company documents before leaving the company.
Played by Anora Oscar winner Mikey Madison, Haugen enlists Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, played by The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, to bring her findings to light.
The leaked documents, which became known as the “Facebook Files”, revealed internal concerns about the impact of Facebook and Instagram, including the platform’s effects on mental health and the spread of misinformation.
As the revelations make headlines, the film follows the mounting pressure on Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, played in this film by Succession star Jeremy Strong.
The story builds towards the high-profile congressional testimony that forced the company to answer questions about its enormous influence over the global public square.
While The Social Network told the story of Facebook’s beginnings, The Social Reckoning explores what happened once the platform became a global powerhouse — and what it took to challenge it.
Want to see it for yourself? Enter our contest for a chance to win tickets or head over to the Cineplex website to purchase now
Watch the trailer for The Social Reckoning below: