How tech geniuses became Hollywood’s favourite monster

A steely-eyed figure sits in a sterile office, surrounded by dark clouds metaphorically looming overhead. Employees gather nervously to present data, but the results fail to meet expectations. With a cold stare, the figure dismisses them, leaving them to flee in fear. This is not a scene from a typical horror movie, but from The Social Reckoning, a new film portraying Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's co-founder and Meta CEO, as a modern-day monster. Directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film follows Zuckerberg through the lens of the 2021 Facebook Files leak, depicting him as a robotic, dictatorial leader focused solely on metrics, even at the cost of spreading misinformation and worsening mental health. Zuckerberg, played by Jeremy Strong (Succession), is far removed from the character portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network. Here, he is less an arrogant tech prodigy and more a cold, calculating figure who resists implementing safeguards that might reduce user engagement by even one percent. He refuses to fact-check political ads, insisting that tech companies should not act as arbiters of truth. To him, Facebook is merely a corkboard, users pin whatever they want, and he has no authority to remove it. Sorkin describes his portrayal of Zuckerberg as an "anti-hero," someone with noble intentions but flawed execution. Yet Strong's performance, likened to an "evil lizard man," suggests a more sinister interpretation. The film joins a wave of recent media focusing on the perceived dangers of Silicon Valley elites, questioning whether these figures are villains or simply misguided. Another upcoming film, Artificial, directed by Luca Guadagnino, features Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI. The film explores the early days of artificial intelligence, with a trailer showing Garfield's Altman descending into a basement filled with weapons. In the trailer, Altman declares, "We open Pandora’s Box together, the future is inevitable." His dialogue hints at the potential for chaos, including the collapse of nations and industries. Garfield has expressed concerns about AI's rapid development, stating he no longer uses ChatGPT due to fears about its capabilities. He told Variety that he feels mistrustful of the technology, noting that those promoting its use often lack full understanding of its implications. Elon Musk, another prominent figure in the tech world, is the subject of a forthcoming documentary by Alex Gibney titled Musk. The film delves into Musk's roles in government, SpaceX, Tesla, and X, highlighting his immense influence. Described in the documentary's teaser as the "Earth’s most unchecked man" and a "nuke," Musk's power is underscored by his status as the world's wealthiest individual, with a net worth nearing $1 trillion. These films reflect growing public scrutiny of tech leaders, portraying them as figures whose unchecked ambitions could lead to unforeseen consequences. As these narratives unfold, audiences are left to ponder whether these individuals are monsters or simply products of an era defined by innovation and excess.