Netflix’s annual delivery of existential dread will arrive in just three weeks: Black Mirror‘s fifth season is scheduled to drop on Wednesday, June 5, TVLine has learned.
Season 5 of the technology-centric thriller will include just three episodes, all of which are glimpsed in the newly released trailer above.
Though Netflix has not released synopses for these new installments, the promo teases appearances from Miley Cyrus (as an anxious-looking pop star who can rock pastel-colored hair); Topher Grace (That ’70s Show) as a mysterious, stoic character; and Anthony Mackie (Altered Carbon) and Nicole Beharie (Sleepy Hollow) as a couple seemingly working through infidelity issues.
Season 5 of the technology-centric thriller will include just three episodes, all of which are glimpsed in the newly released trailer above.
Though Netflix has not released synopses for these new installments, the promo teases appearances from Miley Cyrus (as an anxious-looking pop star who can rock pastel-colored hair); Topher Grace (That ’70s Show) as a mysterious, stoic character; and Anthony Mackie (Altered Carbon) and Nicole Beharie (Sleepy Hollow) as a couple seemingly working through infidelity issues.
- 5/15/2019
- TVLine.com
Netflix wants a federal judge in Vermont to throw out a trademark lawsuit over the immersive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. But how the judge gets to dismissal, well, the streaming giant is outlining a few different possible paths.
The lawsuit comes from Chooseco, LLC, a childrens' book publisher that owns the trademark to "Choose Your Own Adventure."
In January, Chooseco alleged that it had engaged in extensive negotiations with Netflix but that the streamer ended up not having obtained a license. According to Chooseco, that's a $25 million problem for Netflix, given that Stefan Butler, the main character in ...
The lawsuit comes from Chooseco, LLC, a childrens' book publisher that owns the trademark to "Choose Your Own Adventure."
In January, Chooseco alleged that it had engaged in extensive negotiations with Netflix but that the streamer ended up not having obtained a license. According to Chooseco, that's a $25 million problem for Netflix, given that Stefan Butler, the main character in ...
- 3/21/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Kirsten Howard Feb 15, 2019
Netflix wouldn't reveal how long it planned to keep the data or when it would delete it.
Black Mirror took a step up in its meta aesthetic in the last gasp of 2018 with the release of Bandersnatch on Netflix, a "choose your own adventure"-style streaming event where you controlled the choices of its main protagonist, aspiring computer programmer Stefan Butler. At one point, viewers were even given the opportunity to tell Stefan that he was being watched on Netflix - and it would be an understatement to say that doing so freaked the poor kid out.
But was there another level at play during the Bandersnatch experiment, one where Netflix was watching us watching Stefan? Yes, indeed. The future is complicated like that (we wrote about the film's illusion of choice here). Not only was Netflix observing us and recording our choices (the streaming service has...
Netflix wouldn't reveal how long it planned to keep the data or when it would delete it.
Black Mirror took a step up in its meta aesthetic in the last gasp of 2018 with the release of Bandersnatch on Netflix, a "choose your own adventure"-style streaming event where you controlled the choices of its main protagonist, aspiring computer programmer Stefan Butler. At one point, viewers were even given the opportunity to tell Stefan that he was being watched on Netflix - and it would be an understatement to say that doing so freaked the poor kid out.
But was there another level at play during the Bandersnatch experiment, one where Netflix was watching us watching Stefan? Yes, indeed. The future is complicated like that (we wrote about the film's illusion of choice here). Not only was Netflix observing us and recording our choices (the streaming service has...
- 2/14/2019
- Den of Geek
Stars: Fionn Whitehead, Will Poulter, Craig Parkinson, Alice Lowe, Asim Chaudhry, Tallulah Haddon, Catriona Knox, Paul Bradley | Written by Charlie Brooker | Directed by David Slade
Charlie Brooker’s seminal TV series Black Mirror returns on Netflix with an advantageous subtextually corrupted and ironic damning assessment of a “choose your own adventure” feature-length episode in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Directed by David Slade, Bandersnatch offers a distinctive and unique outlook on the format of typical narratives found in cinema, yet often comes unstuck with its underwhelming lacklustre anecdote and now far too overly strong ethos that is becoming stale and predictable.
Fionn Whitehead as Stefan Butler impresses with leading actor status after his rather quiet but sizeable performance in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. He showcases an efficient and explorative emotional range. Benefitting the film due to the character crux structure and the resulting impact each sequence depends upon to engage with the audience.
Charlie Brooker’s seminal TV series Black Mirror returns on Netflix with an advantageous subtextually corrupted and ironic damning assessment of a “choose your own adventure” feature-length episode in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Directed by David Slade, Bandersnatch offers a distinctive and unique outlook on the format of typical narratives found in cinema, yet often comes unstuck with its underwhelming lacklustre anecdote and now far too overly strong ethos that is becoming stale and predictable.
Fionn Whitehead as Stefan Butler impresses with leading actor status after his rather quiet but sizeable performance in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. He showcases an efficient and explorative emotional range. Benefitting the film due to the character crux structure and the resulting impact each sequence depends upon to engage with the audience.
- 1/28/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
Black Mirror‘s latest episode arrived in the last days of 2018 and became an instant hit with Netflix users. “Bandersnatch,” a choose-your-own-adventure special, allowed viewers to decide how the life of video game programmer Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead) progressed, with the trippy, meta storyline weaving every decision into the narrative. For example, in many of the episode’s outcomes, Stefan ends up losing his mind as he believes someone is controlling his actions.
It’s an impressive achievement from creator Charlie Brooker, not only knocking down the fourth wall but also blurring the lines between what makes a video game, a TV show or a movie. But as with everything that’s popular, “Bandersnatch” earned a bit of a backlash from critics and Netflix users who felt the Black Mirror special wasn’t as good as it was cracked up to be.
Brooker was asked about the criticisms of the...
It’s an impressive achievement from creator Charlie Brooker, not only knocking down the fourth wall but also blurring the lines between what makes a video game, a TV show or a movie. But as with everything that’s popular, “Bandersnatch” earned a bit of a backlash from critics and Netflix users who felt the Black Mirror special wasn’t as good as it was cracked up to be.
Brooker was asked about the criticisms of the...
- 1/12/2019
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
There’s a road less taken in art as well as life, it seems. Although “Bandersnatch” offered viewers an interactive experience in its tale of a talented but tormented young video-game programmer, some story pathways wound up being trodden much less frequently, while a few others remained hidden or completely inaccessible, “Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker says.
About 250 different segments were produced for “Bandersnatch,” which debuted worldwide on Netflix on Dec. 28. Brooker says that, during the editing process, the producers realized that some sections would be impossible to get to; no combination of choices could actually lead viewers there. In other cases, a viewer would have to go back and repeat a choice in order to get to an alternate sequence of events, which meant that some branches of the story were seen a lot less.
It’s all part of the learning process of producing such an experimental and technically challenging show.
About 250 different segments were produced for “Bandersnatch,” which debuted worldwide on Netflix on Dec. 28. Brooker says that, during the editing process, the producers realized that some sections would be impossible to get to; no combination of choices could actually lead viewers there. In other cases, a viewer would have to go back and repeat a choice in order to get to an alternate sequence of events, which meant that some branches of the story were seen a lot less.
It’s all part of the learning process of producing such an experimental and technically challenging show.
- 1/11/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
He’s played a traumatised soldier in Dunkirk and a dying teenager. Now, the 21-year-old Black Mirror star has been forced by viewers into all manner of sadistic acts
It is strange to sit down with Fionn Whitehead only days after watching him in Bandersnatch, the choose-your-own-adventure Black Mirror episode that appeared on Netflix just after Christmas. As a viewer, you’re given the chance to make his character, Stefan Butler – a video game developer in the early 1980s whose project goes very wrong indeed – do all sorts of horrible and distressing things, directing the story, and his fate, with a series of sadistic clicks. If, of course, that’s the direction you decide upon. Perhaps you were kinder than me, and let it play out to only moderate doom. Or perhaps not. At one point, when a particularly gory option presents itself, Stefan looks into the camera and sighs,...
It is strange to sit down with Fionn Whitehead only days after watching him in Bandersnatch, the choose-your-own-adventure Black Mirror episode that appeared on Netflix just after Christmas. As a viewer, you’re given the chance to make his character, Stefan Butler – a video game developer in the early 1980s whose project goes very wrong indeed – do all sorts of horrible and distressing things, directing the story, and his fate, with a series of sadistic clicks. If, of course, that’s the direction you decide upon. Perhaps you were kinder than me, and let it play out to only moderate doom. Or perhaps not. At one point, when a particularly gory option presents itself, Stefan looks into the camera and sighs,...
- 1/8/2019
- by Rebecca Nicholson
- The Guardian - Film News
The release of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch premiered a more interactive form of bingeing Netflix, the likes of which hadn't ever seen on the platform. The alluring "choose your own adventure" film allows you to make decisions for the main character, computer game programmer Stefan Butler played by Fionn Whitehead, which influence how the film will end. A main part of the story is that Stefan is developing a video game based on the book Bandersnatch by Jerome F. Davies. But who is the author?
No spoilers here since it's revealed early on, but Davies has a gruesome story. Driven insane by paranoia, he ends up decapitating his wife. He suffered from extreme delusions and believed she had been drugging him. Later on, which you can see in the trailer for the film, Stefan is holding a book titled The Lives of Jerome F. Davies - so we probably aren't the...
No spoilers here since it's revealed early on, but Davies has a gruesome story. Driven insane by paranoia, he ends up decapitating his wife. He suffered from extreme delusions and believed she had been drugging him. Later on, which you can see in the trailer for the film, Stefan is holding a book titled The Lives of Jerome F. Davies - so we probably aren't the...
- 1/6/2019
- by Caitlyn Fitzpatrick
- Popsugar.com
Black Mirror ended the year by setting the bar high for the rest of TV to follow in 2019 with its groundbreaking interactive episode “Bandersnatch.” The 90-minute movie allows viewers to alter the narrative by choosing protagonist Stefan Butler’s (Fionn Whitehead) actions, driving him – if they so wish – to murder and insanity.
Perhaps the most interesting character from the episode, though, is Colin Ritman, as played by The Revenant‘s Will Poulter. He’s a video game programmer in the 1980s who – in at least one version of Bandersnatch – believes in the multiple worlds theory. His speeches of differing timelines and seeming awareness of the structure of the film make him an enigmatic, very meta presence, and it seems Colin could return in future episodes.
While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, creator Charlie Brooker revealed that Colin was the “most time-consuming” part of the writing process for the showrunner, as...
Perhaps the most interesting character from the episode, though, is Colin Ritman, as played by The Revenant‘s Will Poulter. He’s a video game programmer in the 1980s who – in at least one version of Bandersnatch – believes in the multiple worlds theory. His speeches of differing timelines and seeming awareness of the structure of the film make him an enigmatic, very meta presence, and it seems Colin could return in future episodes.
While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, creator Charlie Brooker revealed that Colin was the “most time-consuming” part of the writing process for the showrunner, as...
- 1/4/2019
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
“‘Bandersnatch’ is a unique ‘Black Mirror’ story in that it’s interactive,” says creator/writer Charlie Brooker in Netflix’s just-released video featurette (watch above). He adds, “You, the viewer, get to decide what’s going to happen. It’s actually quite complicated behind the scenes, but for the viewer it’s fairly straightforward.” Ever since “Bandersnatch” debuted on the streaming service on December 28 fans have been obsessed with the choose-your-own adventure story, particularly its many alternate endings.
SEEEmmys make it harder for ‘Black Mirror’ to win Best TV Movie
“You are given choices,” notes Brooker, referring to the options that come up on the screen at various parts of the telefilm. “Will you go out of the door or will you jump out of the window? But there’s myriad sort of timelines and story branches you can go down. Netflix asked us if we’d be interested in doing an interactive story.
SEEEmmys make it harder for ‘Black Mirror’ to win Best TV Movie
“You are given choices,” notes Brooker, referring to the options that come up on the screen at various parts of the telefilm. “Will you go out of the door or will you jump out of the window? But there’s myriad sort of timelines and story branches you can go down. Netflix asked us if we’d be interested in doing an interactive story.
- 1/4/2019
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Any popular new movie or TV show will always receive some sort of backlash and the same is true of Black Mirror‘s groundbreaking new special, “Bandersnatch.” The interactive episode allows viewers to choose how protagonist Stefan Butler’s (Fionn Whitehead) life unfolds. It earned rave reviews and was all people spoke about on social media after its release on December 28th, but there were also those who criticized the story and the gameplay.
Not enjoying it is up to you, of course, but this being the internet, it seems some of those who didn’t care for “Bandersnatch” went too far and personally went after star Will Poulter on Twitter. The actor played eccentric, enigmatic video game designer Colin Ritman in the episode and shared a message on his account yesterday to thank his fans for their support, but also to announce that he was stepping away from the...
Not enjoying it is up to you, of course, but this being the internet, it seems some of those who didn’t care for “Bandersnatch” went too far and personally went after star Will Poulter on Twitter. The actor played eccentric, enigmatic video game designer Colin Ritman in the episode and shared a message on his account yesterday to thank his fans for their support, but also to announce that he was stepping away from the...
- 1/3/2019
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
NetflixThe Netflix film asks viewers to make choices on behalf of the characters, altering the narrative accordingly.Saraswati DatarBlack Mirror: Bandersnatch is the next instalment in the pathbreaking Black Mirror series now streaming on Netflix. Directed by David Slade and written by Charlie Brooker, this ‘interactive film’ begins with a robotic female voice explaining the basic premise of choosing between two options when prompted using the device you are watching it on. Once you click Yes to say you have understood, the film takes you to England in 1984, where Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead), is hoping to sell a game he has created based on Bandersnatch, a fictional book by writer Jerome F Davies. The book has been written to allow for multiple outcomes, depending on choices made by individual readers, giving them control of the narrative. Stefan’s struggles with writing code for the various paths that will mirror the...
- 1/3/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch has been eating up Netflix’s users’ time this New Year as the groundbreaking interactive episode allows the viewer to control the narrative, playing and replaying to explore the various twists and turns of the plot depending on which decisions they make at each fork in the road.
“Bandersnatch” is so complex and filled with so many alternate scenes that it means that some of the sequences will either rarely be seen or never be accessed. In fact, while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, director David Slade revealed that there’s at least one scene that even the production team can’t seem to get to.
“There are scenes that some people just will never see, and we had to make sure that we were Ok with that. We actually shot a scene that we can’t access.”
We’ve already explored the various endings that can be achieved,...
“Bandersnatch” is so complex and filled with so many alternate scenes that it means that some of the sequences will either rarely be seen or never be accessed. In fact, while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, director David Slade revealed that there’s at least one scene that even the production team can’t seem to get to.
“There are scenes that some people just will never see, and we had to make sure that we were Ok with that. We actually shot a scene that we can’t access.”
We’ve already explored the various endings that can be achieved,...
- 1/1/2019
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Black Mirror‘s latest episode, “Bandersnatch,” is a unique experience, an interactive outing that allows the viewer to alter the life of video game programmer Stefan Butler as he works on his passion project, a Choose Your Own Adventure game based on his favorite novel. However, the story gets really meta when Stefan starts developing delusions that his actions are being controlled by some unseen force.
The impressively complex game/episode/movie, whatever you want to classify it as, allows the viewer to guide Stefan through various outcomes. Sometimes it encourages you to go back and pick another path, but often these wrong turns still affect the unfolding narrative. There are many ways to end the story of “Bandersnatch,” of course, but what are all of the different outcomes?
Well, in case you haven’t had time to go through them all yet, here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect.
The impressively complex game/episode/movie, whatever you want to classify it as, allows the viewer to guide Stefan through various outcomes. Sometimes it encourages you to go back and pick another path, but often these wrong turns still affect the unfolding narrative. There are many ways to end the story of “Bandersnatch,” of course, but what are all of the different outcomes?
Well, in case you haven’t had time to go through them all yet, here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect.
- 12/31/2018
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Black Mirror: Bandernatch is probably (hopefully) the closest we’ll come to living through a Black Mirror episode — and that’s not as bad as it sounds. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is a choose-your-own adventure story that makes the viewer culpable for the doomed destiny of its protagonist: a young programmer named Stefan Butler (Dunkirk‘s Fionn Whitehead) who attempts to […]
The post ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’ Review: Netfix’s Choose-Your-Own Adventure Experiment is Entertaining Enough – At Least the First Time Through appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’ Review: Netfix’s Choose-Your-Own Adventure Experiment is Entertaining Enough – At Least the First Time Through appeared first on /Film.
- 12/31/2018
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
Alec Bojalad Dec 29, 2018
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch wants the viewer to feel in control...until suddenly they are not.
The following contains spoilers for Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
I really just wanted the best for Stefan Butler in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
As portrayed by Fionn Whitehead, Stefan is quite like a lot of the best video game protagonists. He’s a being created to elicit empathy in his “controller.” Like The Legend of Zelda’s Link (so named because he was to be a “link” between the video game player and the sprawling world of Hyrule), Stefan is the strong silent type. He reacts with his big, doe eyes to the madness and wonder around him. Since Bandersnatch is a “choose your own adventure” story developed under Netflix’s new Netflix Interactive imprint, the viewer (that is to say me) takes control of Stefan’s decisions. And I wanted those decisions...
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch wants the viewer to feel in control...until suddenly they are not.
The following contains spoilers for Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
I really just wanted the best for Stefan Butler in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
As portrayed by Fionn Whitehead, Stefan is quite like a lot of the best video game protagonists. He’s a being created to elicit empathy in his “controller.” Like The Legend of Zelda’s Link (so named because he was to be a “link” between the video game player and the sprawling world of Hyrule), Stefan is the strong silent type. He reacts with his big, doe eyes to the madness and wonder around him. Since Bandersnatch is a “choose your own adventure” story developed under Netflix’s new Netflix Interactive imprint, the viewer (that is to say me) takes control of Stefan’s decisions. And I wanted those decisions...
- 12/29/2018
- Den of Geek
Netflix on Friday released a standalone Black Mirror movie, subtitled Bandersnatch, in which we the viewer are invited to make choices for the main character. To what fates have you thus far led wannabe video game designer Stefan Butler?
English actor Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk) stars as 19-year-old Stefan, who as the movie opens is about to take a meeting with Tuckersoft, a video game company circa 1984 that has been riding the coattails of genius programmer Colin Ritman (Maze Runner‘s Will Poulter). Stefan pitches company boss Mohan Tucker (Asim Chaudhry) an adaptation of Bandersnatch, a Choose Your Own Path fantasy novel by Jerome F.
English actor Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk) stars as 19-year-old Stefan, who as the movie opens is about to take a meeting with Tuckersoft, a video game company circa 1984 that has been riding the coattails of genius programmer Colin Ritman (Maze Runner‘s Will Poulter). Stefan pitches company boss Mohan Tucker (Asim Chaudhry) an adaptation of Bandersnatch, a Choose Your Own Path fantasy novel by Jerome F.
- 12/28/2018
- TVLine.com
Daniel Kurland Dec 29, 2018
Helped Stefan through the rabbit hole but you’re still confused? We work out some of the Black Mirror: Bandersnatch multiple endings!
This story contains spoilers for Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, its multiple endings, and alternate paths.
Black Mirror is a program that always pushes our buttons (both figuratively and literally sometimes). It finds creative ways to get under our skin and question not only the technology around us, but the people who make it. Even though the quality of episodes may vary, the series typically succeeds with its morbid looks at what could come of humanity. The series has always found innovative and challenging ways to push the limits of its stories, but the program’s latest experiment, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is the greatest example of that yet. The series presents an interactive episode that allows viewers to select alternate routes and determine the outcome of the story,...
Helped Stefan through the rabbit hole but you’re still confused? We work out some of the Black Mirror: Bandersnatch multiple endings!
This story contains spoilers for Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, its multiple endings, and alternate paths.
Black Mirror is a program that always pushes our buttons (both figuratively and literally sometimes). It finds creative ways to get under our skin and question not only the technology around us, but the people who make it. Even though the quality of episodes may vary, the series typically succeeds with its morbid looks at what could come of humanity. The series has always found innovative and challenging ways to push the limits of its stories, but the program’s latest experiment, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is the greatest example of that yet. The series presents an interactive episode that allows viewers to select alternate routes and determine the outcome of the story,...
- 12/28/2018
- Den of Geek
Alec Bojalad Jun 5, 2019
Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has confirmed that all episodes of the show take place within the same universe. We figure out how.
This article is why some TV showrunners reject Easter eggs. Thankfully, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker hasn’t fully learned to guard himself from internet exaggerators and fabulists like myself yet. Brooker created an anthology series in which each episode features different casts, settings, and presumably universes. Then because he’s a creative and thoughtful artist, Brooker also sprinkled in some Easter Eggs into early Black Mirror episodes. Nothing major - a reference to Prime Minster David Carrow here, a Waldo bumper sticker there - it was just all in good fun.
But that doesn’t mean that all these episodes occur in the same universe, right? That would be insane. Right? Well prior to season two’s Christmas special “White Christmas,” Brooker apparently agreed.
Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has confirmed that all episodes of the show take place within the same universe. We figure out how.
This article is why some TV showrunners reject Easter eggs. Thankfully, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker hasn’t fully learned to guard himself from internet exaggerators and fabulists like myself yet. Brooker created an anthology series in which each episode features different casts, settings, and presumably universes. Then because he’s a creative and thoughtful artist, Brooker also sprinkled in some Easter Eggs into early Black Mirror episodes. Nothing major - a reference to Prime Minster David Carrow here, a Waldo bumper sticker there - it was just all in good fun.
But that doesn’t mean that all these episodes occur in the same universe, right? That would be insane. Right? Well prior to season two’s Christmas special “White Christmas,” Brooker apparently agreed.
- 1/3/2018
- Den of Geek
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