The Social Network Part IIis currently in development, buttwo other movies releasing before it could be more important looks at the permeating world of technological innovation.As it stands, theSocial Networksequel isn’t shaping up to bewhat was hoped, with a new cast and director joining the project.
Many different components ofThe Social Networkworked. Sorkin’s script was pertinent and smart, theSocial Networkcastwas strong, David Fincher’s direction was dark and moody, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score gave the film a stylish and strong texture. With only Sorkin returning,it is difficult to imagine the new film living up to the original.
In addition, what worked aboutThe Social Networkwas how it captured the cultural innovations oftech inventions, resulting in Facebook. While Facebook has evolved in how it influences life,there are other websites and products like it that might be better reflections of the current state of the world. These will be explored in these two upcoming films.
Swiped & Artificial Are New-Era Movies About The Internet’s Modern Age
The first movie coming soon that gives a detailed look at how much the internet has shifted everyday life is theLily James-starringSwiped,a biopic about Whitney Wolfe Herd.Herd was the co-founder of Tinder and would go on to found Bumble, for which she worked as the CEO.
The new movie’s trailer promises to explore the Silicon Valley drama and entrepreneurship of how these applications were created, and how they went on to influence daily life. More than this,the film promises to show the darker side of these services,which led to Herd filing a sexual harassment suit against Tinder.
Swipedis a Hulu release, andit will come to streaming on September 19th after a Gala presentation at TIFF 2025.The film is directed byUnpregnant’s Rachel Lee Goldenberg, and co-stars Dan Stevens, Dermot Mulroney, and Myha’la.
Meanwhile,Artificiallooks at the recent development of ChatGPT and other AI technologiesby chronicling the story of Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. The film has an exciting cast, and will look at the still-evolving technology of artificial intelligence similarily toThe Social Network’s exploration of social media.
There are some obvious points of comparison between the films.Andrew Garfield, who broke through inThe Social Network, stars in the film as Sam Altman. Bringing Garfield in could allowArtificalto feel like a spiritualSocial Networksequel, but there is also the possibility of another big point of connection.
Artificialis directed by Luca Guadagnino, andhe has worked withSocial Networkcomposers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on his four most recent movies,including the upcomingAfter the Hunt. This makes bringing the Nine Inch Nails band members in to scoreArtificiala strong possibility.
Artificialis a little bit further off thanSwiped, but has already begun filming.The new film remains in production and is set for release in 2026.The movie features Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov, and Cooper Hoffman in its cast as well asIke Barinholtz as Elon Musk.
Swiped & Artificial Can Represent The Current Online Landscape Better Than The Social Network 2
The Social Networkwas largely about how internet use has changed the social landscape, and there is still much more story to explore within that.Facebook and Meta have grown even more influential in the technology space,acquiring other notable products like Instagram, and having significant influence over how news is understood and consumed.
Still,aSocial Networksequel that looks into misinformation and political influence feels like a distinctly different beast from the first film.While it could wind up being a very important project, it sounds like it might skew closer to amovie about journalismrather than about the changing landscape of the internet.
Dating and relationships have changed enormously in the pastdecades after the advent of dating apps like Tinder and Bumble. This seismic change in how people connect, which has had both positive and negative effects, could make for a fascinating story inSwiped.
Artificial, meanwhile, has a great deal in common with the originalSocial Networkin examining a still-evolving technology.Seeing the origins of artificial features and how quickly they have become so popularizedcould make for a compelling and contemporary story.
As the world continues to change, each of these tech products is likely to remain dominant. While a sequel toThe Social Networkcould be a great idea, thepotential recasting of Mark ZuckerbergandAaron Sorkin helming the project makes it feel more like an original filmthat will compete with these other stories than a true sequel.
ArtificialandSwipedlook to do what audiences have wanted fromThe Social Network Part II, and they will be releasing sooner. While Sorkin’s follow-up to the hit 2010 film will still likely be a well-made and important story, it seems that these other projects could wind up being much more timely and significantadditions to the cinematic canon.
