Dystopian anthology series Black Mirror has been a big hit on Netflix ever since it premiered over ten years ago. Featuring some of Hollywood's finest actors, each episode explores contemporary issues, usually with an unexpected, sci-fi twist. 2018’s special episode, Bandersnatch, even made viewers take part in a “choose your own adventure” story.
Discussing how Black Mirror came to be in the first place, creator, writer, and producer Charlie Brooker told the Financial Times in June 2023, “The show began because I wanted to do something that was unlike other programs, and had a lot of variety in it, because it stops me getting bored.” Unsurprisingly, fans quickly became obsessed with the show’s unpredictable standalone stories. But is Black Mirror coming back for a seventh season? Here’s what we know so far.
Was Black Mirror renewed for season 7?
Netflix has yet to officially renew Black Mirror for a seventh season, but all signs point to the anthology series returning for more episodes.
Season 6 hit Netflix on June 15, four years after season 5 was released on June 5, 2019. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if season 7 came after a long wait, too. It’s also entirely possible that the next season could follow this summer release schedule. But we’ll have to wait and see.
What will Black Mirror season 7 be about?
Every season of Black Mirror ups the ante, exploring the intersection of technology and humanity in ever more distressing ways. As a result, the team behind the Netflix show has its work cut out for it should Black Mirror return for a seventh season.
In an interview with Tudum, Brooker discussed his approach to making season 6, saying, “I began this season by deliberately upending some of my own core assumptions about what to expect.” He continued, “Consequently, this time, alongside some of the more familiar Black Mirror tropes we’ve also got a few new elements... to stretch the parameters of what ‘a Black Mirror episode’ even is. The stories are all still tonally Black Mirror through-and-through—but with some crazy swings and more variety than ever before.”
Brooker also revealed that he likes to keep people guessing when it comes to the show’s content, telling Tudum, “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? It should be a series that can’t be easily defined, and can keep reinventing itself.”
Who will star in Black Mirror season 7?
Discussing the season 6 cast, Brooker told Tudum, “Bringing it all to life we’ve got an incredible roster of disgustingly skillful, smart directors working with a cast of actors so talented they frankly have no right to exist.”
The sixth season of Black Mirror included the likes of Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, Zazie Beetz, Salma Hayek Pinault, and Rory Culkin. Previous seasons have featured stars such as Miley Cyrus, Domhnall Gleeson, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jon Hamm. It’s safe to assume that if Black Mirror returns for another season, even more of our favorite actors will appear.
What else has Charlie Brooker said about Black Mirror?
During an interview with Empire magazine in June 2023, the show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, revealed that he’d used ChatGPT to write an episode of the show. “The first thing I did was type ‘generate Black Mirror episode’ and it comes up with something that, at first glance, reads plausibly, but on second glance, is sh*t,” he explained. “Because all it’s done is look up all the synopses of Black Mirror episodes, and sort of mush them together.” While ChatGPT definitely feels like something out of a Black Mirror episode, it’s not about to replace the show’s writers.
In the same interview, Brooker suggested that future seasons of Black Mirror could literally explore any topic. “There’s no point in having an anthology show if you can’t break your own rules,” he told Empire. “Just a sort of nice, cold glass of water in the face.” Basically, if Netflix renews Black Mirror for a seventh season, expect the unexpected.
Amy Mackelden
Contributing Writer
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.
