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The Social NetworkscreenplaybyAaron SorkinBASED ON THE BOOK “THE ACCIDENTAL BILLIONAIRES” BY BEN MEZRICH

1FROM THE BLACK WE HEAR--1MARK (V.O.)Did you know there are more people withgenius IQ’s living in China than thereare people of any kind living in theUnited States?ERICA (V.O.)That can’t possibly be true.MARK (V.O.)It is.ERICA (V.O.)What would account for that?MARK (V.O.)Well, first, an awful lot of people livein China. But here’s my question:FADE IN:INT. CAMPUS BAR - NIGHTMARK ZUCKERBERG is a sweet looking 19 year old whose lack ofany physically intimidating attributes masks a verycomplicated and dangerous anger. He has trouble making eyecontact and sometimes it’s hard to tell if he’s talking to youor to himself.ERICA, also 19, is Mark’s date. She has a girl-next-door facethat makes her easy to fall for. At this point in theconversation she already knows that she’d rather not be thereand her politeness is about to be tested.The scene is stark and simple.MARKHow do you distinguish yourself in apopulation of people who all got 1600 ontheir SAT’s?ERICAI didn’t know they take SAT’s in China.MARKThey don’t. I wasn’t talking about Chinaanymore, I was talking about me.ERICAYou got 1600?MARKYes. I could sing in an a Capella group,but I can’t sing.

2.ERICADoes that mean you actually got nothingwrong?MARKI can row crew or invent a 25 dollar PC.ERICAOr you can get into a final club.MARKOr I can get into a final club.ERICAYou know, from a woman’s perspective,sometimes not singing in an a Capellagroup is a good thing?MARKThis is serious.ERICAOn the other hand I do like guys who rowcrew.MARK(beat)Well I can’t do that.ERICAI was kid-MARKYes, it means I got nothing wrong on thetest.ERICAHave you ever tried?MARKI’m trying right now.ERICATo row crew?MARKTo get into a final club. To row crew?No. Are you, like--whatever--delusional?ERICAMaybe, but sometimes you say two thingsat once and I’m not sure which one I’msupposed to be aiming at.MARKBut you’ve seen guys who row crew, right?

3.ERICANo.MARKOkay, well they’re bigger than me.They’re world class athletes. And asecond ago you said you like guys who rowcrew so I assumed you had met one.ERICAI guess I just meant I liked the idea ofit. The way a girl likes cowboys.MARK(beat)Okay.ERICAShould we get something to eat?MARKWould you like to talk about somethingelse?ERICANo, it’s just since the beginning of theconversation about finals club I think Imay have missed a birthday.(can’t get over it)There are really more people in China withgenius IQ’s than the entire population of-MARKThe Phoenix is the most diverse. The FlyClub, Roosevelt punched the Porc.ERICAWhich one?MARKThe Porcellian, the Porc, it’s the bestof the best.ERICAWhich Roosevelt?MARKTheodore.ERICAIs it true that they send a bus around topick up girls who want to party with thenext Fed Chairman?MARKYou can see why it’s so important to getin.

4.ERICAOkay, well, which is the easiest to getinto?MARK is visibly hit by that.MARKWhy would you ask me that?ERICAI’m just asking.MARKNone of them, that’s the point. My friendEduardo made 300,000 betting oil futuresone summer and Eduardo won’t come closeto getting in. The ability to make moneydoesn’t impress anybody around here.ERICAMust be nice. He made 300,000 in asummer?MARKHe likes meteorology.ERICAYou said it was oil futures.MARKYou can read the weather you can predictthe price of heating oil. I think youasked me that because you think the finalclub that’s easiest to get into is theone where I’ll have the best chance.ERICAI asked--what?MARKYou asked me which one was the easiest toget into because you think that that’sthe one where I’ll have the best chance.ERICAThe one that’s the easiest to get intowould be the one where anybody has thebest chance.MARKYou didn’t ask me which one was the bestone, you asked me which one was theeasiest one.ERICAI was honestly just asking. Okay? I wasjust asking to ask. Mark, I’m notspeaking in code.

5.MARKErica-ERICAYou’re obsessed with finals clubs. Youhave finals clubs OCD and you need to seesomeone about it who’ll prescribe yousome sort of medication. You don’t careif the side effects may includeblindness.MARKFinal clubs. Not finals clubs and there’sa difference between being obsessed andbeing motivated.ERICAYes there is.MARKWell you do--that was cryptic--so you dospeak in code.ERICAI didn’t mean to be cryptic.MARKI’m saying I need to do somethingsubstantial in order to get the attentionof the clubs.ERICAWhy?MARKBecause they’re exclusive. And fun andthey lead to a better life.ERICATeddy Roosevelt didn’t get electedpresident because he was a member of thePhoenix Club.MARKHe was a member of the Porcellian and yeshe did.ERICAWell why don’t you just concentrate onbeing the best you you can be?MARKDid you really just say that?ERICA(beat)I was kidding.(MORE)

6.ERICA (CONT'D)Although just because something’s triteit doesn’t make it any less--MARKI want to try to be straight forward withyou and tell you that I think you mightwant to be a little more supportive. If Iget in I’ll be taking you.to theevents, and the gatherings.and you’llbe meeting a lot of people you wouldn’tnormally get to meet.ERICA(smiles)You would do that for me?MARKWe’re dating.ERICAOkay, well I want to try and be straightforward with you and let you know thatwe’re not anymore.MARKWhat do you mean?ERICAWe’re not dating anymore, I’m sorry.MARKIs this a joke?ERICANo, it’s not.MARKYou’re breaking up with me?ERICAYou’re going to introduce me to people Iwouldn’t normally have the chance tomeet? What the fff--What is that supposedto mean?MARKWait, settle down.ERICAWhat is it supposed to mean?MARKErica, the reason we’re able to sit hereand drink right now is cause you used tosleep with the door guy.

7.ERICAThe door guy, his name is Bobby. I didnot slept with the door guy, the door guyis a friend of mine. He’s a perfectlygood class of people and what part ofLong Island are you from--Wimbledon?MARKWait-ERICAI’m going back to my dorm.MARKWait, wait, is this real?ERICAYes.MARKOkay, then wait. I apologize, okay?ERICAI have to go study.MARKErica-ERICAYeah.MARKI’m sorry, I mean it.ERICAI appreciate that but-MARKCome on.ERICA--I have to study.MARKYou don’t have to study. You don’t haveto study. Let’s just talk.ERICAI can’t.MARKWhy?ERICABecause it’s exhausting. Dating you islike dating a stairmaster.

8.MARKAll I meant is that you’re not likely to-currently--I wasn’t making a comment onyour parents--I was just saying you go toB.U., I was stating a fact, that’s all,and if it seemed rude then of course Iapologize.ERICAI have to go study.MARKYou don’t have to study.ERICAWhy do you keep saying I don’t have tostudy?!MARKBecause you go to B.U.!ERICA stares at him.MARK (CONT’D)(pause)Do you want to get some food?ERICAI’m sorry you’re not sufficientlyimpressed with my education.MARKAnd I’m sorry I don’t have a rowboat sowe’re even.ERICAI think we should just be friends.MARKI don’t want friends.ERICAI was being polite, I have no intentionof being friends with you.MARKI’m under some pressure right now with myOS class and if we could just order foodI think we should-ERICA takes MARK’s hand and looks at him tenderly.ERICA(close)You are probably going to be a verysuccessful computer person.(MORE)

9.ERICA (CONT'D)But you’re going to go through lifethinking that girls don’t like youbecause you’re a nerd. And I want you toknow, from the bottom of my heart, thatthat won’t be true. It’ll be becauseyou’re an asshole.And with that stinger, ERICA walks off we slowly push in onMARK. A fuse has just been lit.CUT TO:2EXT. BAR - NIGHT2As MARK busts out of the bar and into the population ofHarvard Square.CUT TO:3EXT. HARVARD SQUARE - NIGHT3As MARK continues on, he passes a group of people heading inthe opposite direction for a party.As MARK’s steady and determined stride continues, he’ll passby all kinds of (seemingly) happy, well-adjusted, sociallyadept people.The pulsing intro of a song crashes in that will take usthrough the following sequenceCUT TO:TITLE:4Harvard UniversityFall 2003INT. KIRKLAND HOUSE/LOBBY - NIGHT4As the MUSIC CONTINUES and MARK busts into the lobby of hisdorm. He doesn’t look at anyone as he heads up the stairs andweCUT TO:5INT. MARK’S DORM ROOM - NIGHTA bedroom that’s part of a three-bedroom suite. The MUSICCONTINUES as MARK walks in, flicks his lap-top on withoutlooking at it and walks out of frame as we follow MARK to hismini-fridge where he pulls out a Beck’s beer.MARK’s fingers dance easily on the keyboard--like a Juilliardpianist warming up. The website he’s just called up getsloaded onto the screen.Zuckonit.com5

10.This is the only place he’s comfortable.TITLE:8:13 PMHe begins blogging.MARK (V.O.)Erica Albright’s a bitch. Do you thinkthat’s because her family changed theirname from Albrecht or do you think it’sbecause all B.U. girls are bitches?He takes a good gulp of his drink. We see the words we’rehearing filling up his computer screen-MARK (V.O.)For the record, she may look like a 34Cbut she’s getting all kinds of help fromour friends at Victoria’s Secret. She’s a34B, as in barely anything there. Falseadvertising.CUT TO:6INT. MARK’S DORM ROOM - NIGHTTITLE:9:48 PMMARK (V.O.)The truth is she has a nice face. I needto do something to help me take my mindoff her. Easy enough, except I need anidea.MARK takes out a keyboard for his desktop computer takes adrink from his beer.BILLY OLSON walks into the room carrying a six pack. He sitson the bed behind MARK and opens one for himself.MARK has moved his mouse to an icon on his desktop labeled“Kirkland Facebook”. He clicks and opens it. A menu of photosappear. He blogs again.MARK (V.O.)I’m a little intoxicated, I’m not gonnalie. So what if it’s not even 10PM andit’s a Tuesday night? The Kirklandfacebook is open on my desktop and someof these people have pretty horrendousfacebook pics.(MORE)6

11.MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)Billy Olson’s sitting here and had theidea of putting some of these next topictures of farm animals and have peoplevote on who’s hotter.CUT TO:7Omitted77AINT. A BUS - NIGHT7AIt resembles the kind of bus that would take you to the rentalcar place but on board are two-dozen COLLEGE GIRLS who aredressed for a party. Last minute make-up touch-ups are beingdone and a joint is being passed.MARK (V.O.)I think he’s on to something.CUT BACK TO:7BINT. MARK’S DORM ROOM - NIGHT7BTITLE:10:17 PMMARKYea, it’s on. I’m not gonna do the farmanimals but I like the idea of comparingtwo people together. It gives the wholething a very “Turing” feel since people’sratings of the pictures-CUT TO:7CEXT. FINAL CLUB - NIGHT7CA bouncer--a townie in a tuxedo and a headset--is manning thevelvet rope that guards the thick, wooden, red double-doorsthat lead to, believe it or not, one of the most exclusiveclubs in the world.Four college girls are already waiting in line but thatnumber’s about to grow as the bus pulls up and opens itsdoors.MARK (VO)--will be more implicit than, say,choosing a number to represent eachperson’s hotness like they do onhotornot.com. The first thing we’re goingto need is a lot of pictures.(MORE)