Aaron Sorkin says $15 million gross exposed his inability to learn visual direction

Aaron Sorkin stated that the $15 million worldwide gross for his film The Social Reckoning revealed a specific gap in his directing abilities that he fears cannot be taught. Speaking during an interview recorded last week at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Sorkin discussed the movie that earned him the event's Maverick Director Award. He noted that he was a second choice to direct the picture, a project he also wrote.

The film, released nationwide by Sony on Oct. 9, cost $40 million to produce. It explores Facebook's awareness of its societal impact and features Mikey Madison as a whistleblower and Jeremy Allen White as a journalist. Jeremy Strong portrays Mark Zuckerberg. The release arrives 16 years after Sorkin wrote The Social Network, a film directed by David Fincher that received widespread acclaim. Sorkin explained that Fincher, who is under an exclusive deal with Netflix, was unavailable for the Sony-backed project.

Sorkin said he would prefer Fincher direct everything. However, the current film received fewer positive reviews than its predecessor, sitting at 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Ticket sales did not match the financial performance of the earlier project. Sorkin, who has written films for 35 years, including A Few Good Men, The American President, and The West Wing, described his feelings about his directing career in a candid manner.

He compared screenwriting to directing in terms of learnable skills. Sorkin said that while parts of screenwriting can be taught, other parts rely on talent. He expressed worry that his weaknesses in directing belong to the category of skills that cannot be learned. He stated, "I'm very worried that the parts of directing that I'm not good at are those parts that you can't learn."

Sorkin acknowledged that working with acclaimed directors such as Rob Reiner, Bennett Miller, Mike Nichols, and Danny Boyle provided educational value. He said he is not finished wanting to collaborate with top-tier directors. However, he admitted that the learning curve regarding camera usage was steeper than expected. He noted that he has no visual sensibility, a fact that surprised him given his lack of knowledge about the science of filmmaking.

The 65-year-old filmmaker compared his situation to football coaches who claim a victory was possible but did not materialize. He said he feels that the necessary elements for good directing are present in his work, but they have not yet come together. He asked for one more chance to integrate these components successfully.

Sorkin also addressed the future of the mid-budget movie. He said that of his 11 films, only A Few Good Men would likely be a feature film today. He believed the rest would be produced for streaming services. He also discussed a new Lincoln Center revival of A Few Good Men, which he is rewriting. He noted that the production differs from the original Broadway version and that he is working on the material while sober.

The interview took place during a podcast recording for The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter. Sorkin's comments offer a detailed look at his self-assessment as a director following a modest box office run. The film's performance stands in contrast to the critical and financial success of his writing credits. His admission about visual instinct provides context for his ongoing work behind the camera.