Who will be the next person to join the cast of Aaron Sorkin‘s “The Social Network Part II? THR reports that it may be none other than comedian Bill Burr, who’s in final talks to join Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Jeremy Strong on the much-anticipated Sony Pictures sequel.
Sorkin writes and directs the sequel to David Fincher‘s 2010 modern masterwork, a project inspired by a series of articles by the Wall Street Journal’s Jeff Horwitz. Since their initial publication, Horwitz’s articles have since been published as a book entitled “The Facebook Files.” Sorkin’s sequel will focus less on Facebook and Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg than the pronounced negative effects of social media, particularly on teens and kids, and how such effects contributed to the insurrection at the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
And, no, Jesse Eisenberg isn’t back to reprise his role as Zuckerberg. Strong will play the CEO in the follow-up, with Madison as whistleblower Frnces Haugen and White as Horwitz. As for who Burr will be play? That’s under wraps for now, but it’s reportedly a fictional character who may be based on several real-life people.
Since its announcement this past summer, “The Social Network Part II” has skyrocketed to become one of Hollywood’s buzziest upcoming projects. Production starts on the film later this year in Vancouver, with Sony eying a world premiere that will get the sequel awards season consideration next year. Sorkin also produces the picture with Todd Black, Peter Rice, and Stuart Besser.
A role in Sorkin’s pic would be Burr’s most serious onscreen role to date. The comedian and Emmy/Grammy nominee is no stranger to acting at this point in his career, with TV roles like “Breaking Bad” and “The Mandalorian” under his belt, and films like “Old Dads” and “The King Of Staten Island.” Those are primarily comic roles, however, and given the subject matter of “The Social Network Part II,” Burr may be in line for something more dramatic. He’s good for that, though, as the strong reviews from his Broadway debut on “Glengarry Glen Ross” opposite Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk indicate.
Stay tuned for more details and casting news for “The Social Network Part II” as it approaches its shooting dates.
