Hollywoods tech movie boom has arrived

Hollywood is embracing the tech movie boom, turning its cameras on four influential and controversial founders: Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla and SpaceX's Elon Musk, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. These films explore the question of what happens when someone promises to change the world, and millions decide to believe them.

The upcoming film Social Reckoning delves into Facebook's evolution and its role in the rise of extremism and divisiveness. Jeremy Strong plays Zuckerberg, Mikey Madison portrays Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, and Jeremy Allen White portrays Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz. The film traces Facebook's knowledge of its platforms' harms and the aftermath of disclosing this information to the public.

Meta faced a $17.1 billion settlement in 2026 due to allegations that it knowingly built addictive features harming children. This agreement also mandates new restrictions on minors' use of Facebook and Instagram. Concerns about social media's influence persist, with 78% of Americans believing tech companies have too much power in politics, up from 72% in 2020.

AI also has its skeptics. A June 2026 survey revealed that 52% of Americans were more concerned than excited about AI's growing use in daily life. Artificial, a film by director Luca Guadagnino, explores the fight over OpenAI's founder Sam Altman's 2023 firing and return to the company.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is depicted in a film about her fraudulent startup that promised to revolutionize blood testing. Holmes deceived investors about her technology, leading to her conviction for defrauding them. These stories highlight the tension between ambition and the potential consequences of tech innovations.