Editing David Fincher (section)

===2001–2010: Continued success===
[[File:Jesse Eisenberg - David Fincher - The Social Network - 2010 New York Film Festival - 01.jpg|alt=Eisenberg and Fincher at the 2010 New York Film Festival|thumb|215x215px|[[Jesse Eisenberg]] and Fincher at the 2010 [[New York Film Festival]]]]

In 2001, Fincher served as an executive producer for the first season of ''[[The Hire]]'', a series of short films to promote [[BMW]] automobiles. The films were released on the internet in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2016/09/clive-owen-the-driver-bmw-films-neill-blomkamp-short-film-the-escape-1201728682/|title=Clive Owen Returns as 'The Driver' in Neill Blomkamp's Short Film 'The Escape' – Watch Trailer|last=Calvario|first=Liz|date=September 20, 2016|website=[[IndieWire]]|language=en|access-date=January 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411160407/https://www.indiewire.com/2016/09/clive-owen-the-driver-bmw-films-neill-blomkamp-short-film-the-escape-1201728682/|archive-date=April 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Next in 2002, Fincher returned to another feature film, a thriller titled ''[[Panic Room]]''. The story follows a single mother and her daughter who hide in a safe room of their new home, during a [[home invasion]] by a trio. Starring [[Jodie Foster]] (who replaced [[Nicole Kidman]]), [[Forest Whitaker]], [[Kristen Stewart]], [[Dwight Yoakam]], and [[Jared Leto]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=110382&page=1|title=Kidman Injury Jars Panic Shoot|website=ABC News|language=en|access-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923162800/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=110382&page=1|archive-date=September 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> it was theatrically released on March 29, 2002, after a month delay, to critical acclaim and commercial success.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web|title=Panic Room (2002)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/panic_room|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=March 29, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171127045610/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/panic_room/|language=en|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=November 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In North America, the film earned $96.4 million. In other countries, it grossed $100 million for a worldwide $196.4 million.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0258000/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|title=Panic Room|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114150129/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0258000/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|url-status=live}}</ref> Mick LaSalle of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' praised the filmmakers for their "fair degree of ingenuity ... for 88 minutes of excitement" and the convincing performance given by Foster.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Panic-attack-Foster-at-her-best-in-mindless-2860032.php|title='Panic' attack / Foster at her best in mindless, exciting thriller|last=LaSalle|first=Mick|date=March 29, 2002|website=SFGate|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817120850/https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Panic-attack-Foster-at-her-best-in-mindless-2860032.php|archive-date=August 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Fincher acknowledged ''Panic Room'' for being more mainstream, describing the film, "It's supposed to be a popcorn movie—there are no great, overriding implications. It's just about survival."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/panic-room-255632/|title=Panic Room|last=Travers|first=Peter|date=March 29, 2002|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813175445/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/panic-room-255632/|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Five years after ''Panic Room'', Fincher returned on March 2, 2007, with ''[[Zodiac (film)|Zodiac]]'', a thriller based on [[Robert Graysmith]]'s [[Zodiac (true crime book)|books]] about the search for the [[Zodiac Killer|Zodiac]], a real life serial murderer who terrorized communities between the late 1960s and early 1970s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=G. Allen |title=CHASING ZODIAC / Film crew has San Francisco time-traveling to '70s |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/CHASING-ZODIAC-Film-crew-has-San-Francisco-2603686.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216030855/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/CHASING-ZODIAC-Film-crew-has-San-Francisco-2603686.php |archive-date=December 16, 2018 |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=SFGATE |language=en}}</ref> Fincher first learned of the project after being approached by producer [[Bradley J. Fischer|Brad Fischer]]; he was intrigued by the story due to his childhood personal experience. "The highway patrol had been following our school buses", he recalled. His father told him, "There's a serial killer who has killed four or five people ... who's threatened to ... shoot the children as they come off the bus."<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/movies/18halb.html|title=David Fincher – Zodiac – Movies|last=Halbfinger|first=David M.|date=February 18, 2007|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611122441/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/movies/18halb.html|archive-date=June 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

After extensive research on the case with fellow producers, Fincher formed a principal cast of [[Jake Gyllenhaal]], [[Mark Ruffalo]], [[Robert Downey Jr.]], [[Anthony Edwards (actor)|Anthony Edwards]] and [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]]. It was the first of Fincher's films to be shot in [[digital cinematography|digital]], with a [[Thomson Viper FilmStream Camera|Thomson Viper]] FilmStream [[High-definition video|HD]] [[Digital cinematography cameras|camera]]. However, high-speed film cameras were used for particular murder scenes.<ref>Zodiac Director's Cut DVD, 2nd Disc, Visual Effects featurette.</ref> ''Zodiac'' was well received, appearing in more than two hundred top ten lists (only ''[[No Country for Old Men (film)|No Country for Old Men]]'' and ''[[There Will Be Blood]]'' appeared in more).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://criticstop10.com/best-of-2007/|title=Best of 2007|website=CriticsTop10|date=May 2009 |language=en-US|access-date=January 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826064034/https://criticstop10.com/best-of-2007/|archive-date=August 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the film struggled at the United States box office, earning $33&nbsp;million, but did better overseas with a gross of $51.7&nbsp;million.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|title=Zodiac|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114150138/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|url-status=live}}</ref> Worldwide, ''Zodiac'' was a moderate success.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxofficereport.com/ybon/2007gross.shtml |title=2007 Box Office |website=Box Office Report |date=January 6, 2009 |access-date=September 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831100554/http://www.boxofficereport.com/ybon/2007gross.shtml |archive-date=August 31, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite a campaign by [[Paramount Pictures]], the film did not receive any major award nominations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Horn|first=John|date=January 5, 2008|title=A new sign of the 'Zodiac'|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-05-et-zodiac5-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610170349/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-05-et-zodiac5-story.html|archive-date=June 10, 2020|access-date=July 8, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2008, Fincher was attached to a film adaptation of the science-fiction novel, ''[[Rendezvous with Rama]]'' by [[Arthur C. Clarke]], however, Fincher said the film is unlikely to go ahead due to problems with the script.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2008/david-finchers-rendezvous-with-rama-officially-dead/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216031124/https://www.firstshowing.net/2008/david-finchers-rendezvous-with-rama-officially-dead/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 16, 2018|title=David Fincher's Rendezvous with Rama Officially Dead {{!}} FirstShowing.net|date=December 16, 2018|access-date=January 8, 2020}}</ref> His next project was ''[[The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button]]'' (2008), an adaptation of [[F. Scott Fitzgerald]]'s eponymous [[The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|1923 short story]], about a man who is born as a seventy-year-old baby and ages in reverse. The romantic-drama marked Fincher's third collaboration with Brad Pitt, who stars opposite [[Cate Blanchett]]. The budget for the film was estimated to be $167&nbsp;million, with very expensive visual effects utilized for Pitt's character.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/14593/ed-ulbrich-behind-the-extraordinary-visual-effects-of-benjamin-button|title=Ed Ulbrich: Behind the extraordinary visual effects of Benjamin Button|website=Den of Geek|date=July 7, 2009|language=en|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912145655/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/14593/ed-ulbrich-behind-the-extraordinary-visual-effects-of-benjamin-button|archive-date=September 12, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

Filming started in November 2006 in [[New Orleans]], taking advantage of Louisiana's film incentive.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/us/12incentives.html|title=States' Film Production Incentives Cause Jitters|last=Cieply|first=Michael|date=October 11, 2008|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109151558/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/us/12incentives.html|archive-date=November 9, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was theatrically released on December 25, 2008, in the United States to a commercial success and warm reception.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0421715/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|title=The Curious Case of Benjamin Button|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114150134/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0421715/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":24">{{Cite web|title=The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/curious_case_of_benjamin_button|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=December 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227124755/https://rottentomatoes.com/m/curious_case_of_benjamin_button|language=en|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=December 27, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Writing for the ''[[USA Today]]'', Claudia Puig praises the "graceful and poignant" tale despite it being "overlong and not as emotionally involving as it could be".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2008-12-23-benjamin-button_N.htm|title=See 'Benjamin Button,' just don't try to guess his age – USATODAY.com|website=usatoday30.usatoday.com|access-date=January 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829161128/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2008-12-23-benjamin-button_N.htm|archive-date=August 29, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The film received thirteen [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nominations, including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]] for Fincher, [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] for Pitt, and [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]] for [[Taraji P. Henson]], and won three, for [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction]], [[Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling|Best Makeup]], and [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2009|title=The 81st Academy Awards {{!}} 2009|publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|Oscars.org {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]|date=October 7, 2014 |language=en|access-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161102115358/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2009|archive-date=November 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fincher directed the 2010 film ''[[The Social Network]]'', a biographical drama about [[Facebook]] founder, [[Mark Zuckerberg]] and his legal battles. The screenplay was written by [[Aaron Sorkin]], who adapted it from the book ''[[The Accidental Billionaires]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/confirmed-eisenberg-timberlake-and-garfield-cast-in-david-finchers-the-social-network/|title=Confirmed: Eisenberg, Timberlake and Garfield Cast in David Fincher's The Social Network|date=September 22, 2009|website=[[/Film|SlashFilm]]|language=en-US|access-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327155136/https://www.slashfilm.com/confirmed-eisenberg-timberlake-and-garfield-cast-in-david-finchers-the-social-network/|archive-date=March 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> It stars [[Jesse Eisenberg]] as Zuckerberg, with a supporting cast of [[Andrew Garfield]], [[Justin Timberlake]], [[Armie Hammer]] and [[Max Minghella]]. Principal photography started in October 2009 in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]] and the film was released one year later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/confirmed-eisenberg-timberlake-and-garfield-cast-in-david-finchers-the-social-network/|title=Casting Notes: Selena Gomez in Teen Rom Com; The Social Network Gets New Kids; The Whistleblower Gets Proven Talent|last=Fischer|first=Russ|date=October 20, 2009|website=[[/Film|SlashFilm]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091023031549/http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/10/20/casting-notes-selena-gomez-in-teen-rom-com-the-social-network-gets-new-kids-the-whistleblower-gets-proven-talent/|archive-date=October 23, 2009|access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref> ''The Social Network'' was also a commercial success, earning $224.9 million worldwide.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1285016/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|title=The Social Network|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114150139/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1285016/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[83rd Academy Awards]], the film received eight nominations and won three awards; soundtrack composers [[Trent Reznor]] and [[Atticus Ross]] won for [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]], and the other two awards were for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]] and [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/83rd-winners.html|title=83rd Academy Awards Winners|date=February 27, 2011|website=Oscars|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224034121/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/83rd-winners.html|archive-date=December 24, 2013}}</ref> The film received awards for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]], and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] at the [[68th Golden Globe Awards]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jan/17/golden-globes-ricky-gervais-colin-firth-social-network|title=Golden Globes: Colin Firth crowned while The Social Network wins lion's share|last=Brooks|first=Xan|date=January 17, 2011|website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=January 10, 2020|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426155046/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jan/17/golden-globes-ricky-gervais-colin-firth-social-network|archive-date=April 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Critics including Roger Ebert, complimented the writing, describing the film as having "spellbinding dialogue. It makes an untellable story clear and fascinating".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-social-network-2010|title=The Social Network movie review (2010) {{!}} Roger Ebert|last=Ebert|first=Roger|website=www.rogerebert.com|language=en|access-date=January 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031195822/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-social-network-2010|archive-date=October 31, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>