Jeremy Strong Distances His Mark Zuckerberg Performance from Jesse Eisenberg’s

Jeremy Strong is gearing up to portray Mark Zuckerberg, as he’s never been seen before onscreen.

The Succession actor, 46, recently opened up about assuming the role of the Facebook co-founder in The Social Reckoning, the sequel to David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s hit 2010 film The Social Network. Strong’s portrayal of Zuckerberg comes 15 years on the heels of Jesse Eisenberg’s Oscar-nominated performance in the original film.

While The Social Network met Zuckerberg as the social media platform was first being created, The Social Reckoning is more recent: the new movie will focus on Wall Street Journal’s exposé The Facebook Files, which was published in 2021.

Strong said he hasn’t talked to Eisenberg about portraying Zuckerberg in the new movie, he toldThe Hollywood Reporter at the Academy Museum Gala on Oct. 18. “I think that [Eisenberg’s performance] has nothing to do with what I’m going to do,” he said.

The actor added that he’s worked with Sorkin twice before — on The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Molly’s Game — and that the “third time’s the charm.”

As for the film’s writing, Strong had nothing but praise, and he told The Hollywood Reporter he’s excited to take on such a dynamic character.

“It’s one of the great scripts I’ve ever read. It speaks to our time, it touches the third rail of everything happening in our world,” Strong said. “It’s a great character — fascinating, complex — and I’m approaching it with great care and empathy and objectivity.”

Strong was first eyed for the role of Zuckerberg this past summer, Variety reported at the time. Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White will star alongside Strong, as Facebook engineer Frances Haugen and Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horowitz, respectively.

The first film, which won the 2011 Best Original Screenplay Oscar, met Eisenberg’s Zuckerberg, as well as the company’s co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) and twins Tyler and Cameron (Armie Hammer), who claimed Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from them. 

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Zuckerberg is presently listed as the third richest person in the world, per Forbes.

The Social Reckoning is expected to debut in October 2026.