Fascist Film Flops: The Social Reckoning

Writer-director Aaron Sorkin used $50 million of Sony’s budget to create a film that seems to be aimed at shaming corporate America into controlling public discourse. It’s clear that, with marketing costs included, the total expense for The Social Reckoning might be closer to $120 million. But, shockingly, after just three weeks in theaters, its earnings have barely reached $15 million, marking it as a massive failure.

And, just to clarify, that $15 million isn’t even limited to its domestic take. No, it’s the combined global earnings—$9 million from the U.S. market and $6 million from international audiences.

During its third weekend, the film’s revenue plummeted by an astonishing 85 percent.

Haha, it’s hard not to chuckle.

In contrast, the film The Social Network, which debuted back in 2010, earned about $225 million globally.

Considering the typical calculations in Hollywood, it seems Sony will face a loss of around $100 million on this controversial project.

I never thought I’d witness a film advocating for corporations to moderate public discussions on politics, effectively censoring dissenting opinions. Historically, Hollywood has cautioned against the encroachment of corporate power on our freedoms—especially freedom of speech. Yet here is an Oscar-winning director alongside a major studio pushing for this very kind of corporate control.

What an odd turn of events.

Speaking of box office failures, Alex Gibney’s lengthy critique of Elon Musk, simply titled Musk, is also struggling. After three weekends, it has raked in a mere $643,000, which is pretty disheartening, particularly given its broader release across 470 theaters in its second week.

You could argue, in defense of Musk, that who really wants to sit through a lengthy documentary about a leading tech figure? But then again…

The documentary You Can See Everything, centered on Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos fame, has already grossed $45 million in just two weekends. So, there’s that.

In sum, The Social Reckoning resembles fascist propaganda, while Musk can feel like a lecture from the left. It’s no wonder audiences are steering clear of such films.

Then there’s DC’s Clayface, which opened with $24 million—a figure that’s somewhat average. When you factor in production and promotional costs, this film may also be nearing the $100 million mark, which implies a need for around $200 million to break even. Globally, Clayface has reached $43 million. Its future could become clearer next weekend, especially considering it received an A- CinemaScore, indicating it may perform well in the coming weeks and possibly turn a profit.

Compared to other DC releases, its opening wasn’t particularly impressive. However, being a horror film and carrying an R-rating should afford it a bit more patience before rushing to conclusions about its success.