“Black Mirror” is coming back — and much sooner than you think.
Netflix has revealed that Charlie Brooker’s hit series returns in June for Season 6.
Once again, the show boasts a laundry list of top acting talent. This season’s roster includes: Aaron Paul, Anjana Vasan, Annie Murphy, Auden Thornton, Ben Barnes, Clara Rugaard, Daniel Portman, Danny Ramirez, Himesh Patel, John Hannah, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara, Michael Cera, Monica Dolan, Myha’la Herrold, Paapa Essiedu, Rob Delaney, Rory Culkin, Salma Hayek Pinault, Samuel Blenkin, Zazie Beetz.
A teaser for the season (watch below) promises exactly the level of dysfunction, darkness and dystopia fans have come to expect and relish from Brooker for over a decade. Season 6 appears to be even more violent than past shows, and the production value is noticeably higher and more cinematic in scope.
Another new addition on the production side is “Ms. Marvel” showrunner Bisha K. Ali, who is among the show’s executive producers, alongside Brooker, long-time producing partner Annabel Jones and Jessica Rhoades. The series is the first “Black Mirror” season to be produced by Brooker and Jones’ new production company Broke & Bones. The format was licensed to Netflix by rights holders Banijay Rights.
Brooker, who’s credited with creating and writing Season 6, expanded on the show’s return via Netflix fan site Tudum.com, revealing that he’s broken some of his own rules for the new episodes.
While “Black Mirror” episodes have always been standalone instalments, Brooker hints that Season 6 follows a new model. A logline notes that “the sixth season of ‘Black Mirror’ is the most unpredictable, unclassifiable and unexpected yet.”
“I’ve always felt that ‘Black Mirror’ should feature stories that are entirely distinct from one another, and keep surprising people (and myself) or else what’s the point?” said Brooker. “It should be a series that can’t be easily defined, and can keep reinventing itself.
“So partly as a challenge, and partly to keep things fresh for both me and the viewer, I began this season by deliberately upending some of my own core assumptions about what to expect. Consequently, this time, alongside some of the more familiar ‘Black Mirror’ tropes we’ve also got a few new elements, including some I’ve previously sworn blind the show would never do, to stretch the parameters of what ‘a Black Mirror episode’ even is.”
Brooker says the stories are all “still tonally ‘Black Mirror’ through-and-through” but they have some “crazy swings and more variety” than ever before.
“And bringing it all to life we’ve got an incredible roster of disgustingly skilful, smart directors working with a cast of actors so talented they frankly have no right to exist. I can’t wait for people to binge their way through it all and hope they enjoy it – especially the bits they shouldn’t.”
Variety first revealed in May 2022 that “Black Mirror” was coming back after a three-year hiatus. A source close to the production told Variety at the time that the latest season is even more cinematic in scope, with each instalment being treated as an individual film.
“Black Mirror” began life on U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 in 2011, and aired for two seasons before Netflix swooped for rights. The format was rendered a global sensation on the streamer with big-budget, celebrity-laden episodes such as “San Junipero” and “USS Callister” taking the dark heart of the show to dizzying heights and picking up a slew of awards in the process.
Check out more teaser images from Season 6 below:
Aaron Paul
Zazie Beetz
Auden Thornton & Josh Hartnett
Paapa Essiedu