David Fincher Says a ‘Social Network’ Sequel Would Be a ‘Can of Worms’
David Fincher isn’t looking to return to “The Social Network” anytime soon.
The “Killer” director told The Guardian in a wide-ranging interview that the 2010 Oscar-winning film could warrant a follow-up for fans, but that it would be a “can of worms” to untangle. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay charting the rise of Facebook through the perspective of creator Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg. Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, and Rooney Mara also starred.
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“Aaron [Sorkin] and I have talked about it,” Fincher said, “but that’s a can of worms.”
The director instead pointed to the possible franchise of “The Killer” starring Michael Fassbender. The Netflix film, penned by Fincher’s “Se7en” screenwriter, is based on the French graphic novel series that spans 15 volumes.
“One would think [it would warrant a sequel],” Fincher said. “I’ve given up on trying to predict what people want.”
The director also shrugged off the label of being an “auteur,” saying, “There’s this fallacy that film directors come in and explain exactly what it is that they want to see and then they go to their trailer,” he says. “And then it’s presented to them and they make a few revisions, and then it’s trapped in aspic for all eternity. That’s just not it. It’s much more sock puppetry and daycare and plumbing – you know, pouring concrete. It’s a lot more physical labour than people probably imagine.”
Fincher concluded that the lack of consistency in subject matter across his films also undermines the auteur label.
“I’m so bad at that,” Fincher said. “Because a) I don’t care. But b) At the point in time I was making ‘Fight Club,’ people were saying, ‘How could you?’ And now you make something like ‘The Killer’ and people go, ‘Why aren’t you doing it like your earlier, more important movies?’ I can’t win.”
Fincher recently addressed the shelved “World War Z” sequel, saying that HBO series “The Last of Us” handled the themes better.
“I’m glad that we didn’t do what we were doing,” Fincher told GQ UK, “because ‘The Last of Us’ has a lot more real estate to explore the same stuff.”
The director was additionally tied to a “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” adaptation and the first “Blade” film.
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