Charlie Brooker, the mind behind the chillingly prescient ‘Black Mirror,’ has dropped a bombshell: the show could run indefinitely! Just two years after the last season, ‘Black Mirror’ returns to a world even more warped and tech-obsessed. Brooker says inspiration is EVERYWHERE.
From Siri’s infancy to Meta AI and the Apple Watch Series 10, our reality has become fertile ground for dystopian narratives. ‘Black Mirror’ has already explored memory implants, robotic bees, and actor-werewolves – and Brooker says the possibilities are endless.
‘Selfishly, it’s a fun job,’ Brooker admits. ‘Technology is developing so fast, there are more sources of inspiration, and viewers are experiencing more tech in their daily lives.’ No need to explain complex concepts; we’re living them!
Emma Corrin, star of the new season, agrees. ‘It’s much closer to home. AI is terrifyingly accessible, making the show more confronting and a better warning.’ Brooker jokingly asked if the show should go on forever, to which Corrin replied YES, Brooker adds: “I’ll find out when it stops if I drop dead or people stop watching.”
One episode, ‘Hotel Reverie,’ features Corrin and Issa Rae as A-listers in a remake of a classic Hollywood film, with a dark AI twist. Corrin plays Dorothy Chambers, relishing the ‘ridiculous, larger than life’ acting style of the 1940s.
AI’s looming presence in the creative industries is a major theme. Corrin expresses unease about its potential impact: ‘It’s scary. Art is born from human experience and imagination. I hope we don’t lose that.’ Brooker sees AI as a valuable tool but warns against removing the human element, exploiting artists’ work without compensation.
Gaming, another Brooker obsession, resurfaces with Asim Chaudhry and Will Poulter reprising their ‘Bandersnatch’ roles in ‘Plaything.’ Lewis Gribben plays a 90s games journalist consumed by a pixelated world. Peter Capaldi delivers a disturbing performance as an older version of Cameron.
Gribben, starring in ‘Blade Runner 2099,’ admits he’s a gamer himself, albeit a more moderate one than his character. Josh Finan, also from ‘Blade Runner 2099,’ plays an acquaintance caught in Cameron’s distorted reality. Finan remains optimistic about actors’ futures: ‘I don’t think there’s any danger of being replaced. What we do is too special.’
‘Black Mirror’ series seven arrives on Netflix this Thursday, April 10th. Get ready to question everything.