At the movies, tech founders like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are in their villain era
A new wave of films portrays tech founders like Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman as villains, reflecting a shift in public perception from 'scrappy innovators' to 'powerful oligarchs.' This trend marks a departure from the more nuanced portrayals seen in earlier films like 'The Social Network.'
Why it matters
The shift in cinematic representation mirrors broader societal anxieties regarding the unchecked power and influence of modern technology leaders.
Movies about Sam Altman, Elizabeth Holmes, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk are all coming out in 2026. Neon; Philip Pacheco/Getty Images; Sony; BI "The Social Reckoning" leads a wave of new films about tech founders like Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman. Hollywood's obsession with this subgenre reflects our anxiety about who holds power. Get ready for some techno-pessimism at the movies. When David Fincher's Facebook origin story "The Social Network" premiered 16 years ago, it delighted critics with its witty dialogue and nuanced character work. Aaron Sorkin was awarded the Oscar for best adapted screenplay, and Jesse Eisenberg was hailed for his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg as an aggrieved yet triumphant prodigy. Playing a rising tech titan earned Eisenberg an Oscar nomination and made him synonymous with Zuck — not a bad thing in 2010, when Zuckerberg was crowned Time's Person of the Year .
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