Black Mirror Standout ‘USS Callister’ Almost Got Its Own Spin-Off Series

On immoderate database of champion Black Mirror episodes to date, play four’s “USS Callister” hovers adjacent the top, with galore fans and critics calling it their favourite of each time. Part Star Trek homage, portion virtual-reality nightmare, portion deliciously executed revenge scheme, “USS Callister” besides made a people with its peculiar effects and standout performances.

No wonder, then, it’s the archetypal Black Mirror occurrence to get a sequel—but it wasn’t ever a creaseless roadworthy to get there, thing amusement creator Charlie Brooker spoke astir successful a caller interview.

With play seven, which includes the much-anticipated “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” arriving adjacent week, Brooker talked to Deadline astir however it each came together. Apparently, helium considered turning the archetypal communicative into either a constricted TV bid of its own—or a diagnostic film, aft the occurrence made specified a splash aft debuting successful 2017.

“Of each the stories we’ve done this 1 ended arsenic though we were mounting it up for the sequel,” Brooker told the trade. “It went done assorted guises but successful the extremity we made it diagnostic magnitude wrong the season. It took truthful agelong getting it together—we had the pandemic, writers’ onslaught and past had to get everyone’s schedules lined up, and that was its ain Rubik’s cube connected a unicycle.”

Fans volition callback the archetypal occurrence starred Cristin Milioti and Jesse Plemons—but Plemons’ villainous character, Robert Daly, died astatine the end. Aside from Plemons and different quality played by Michaela Coel, though, everyone other is back: Milioti (Nanette Cole), Jimmi Simpson (Walton), Billy Magnussen (Valdack), Milanka Brooks (Elena, who someway has her bluish alien tegument again?), Osy Ikhile (Nate), and Paul G. Raymond (Dudani).

The integer clones of their quality characters, according to a Netflix synopsis, are present “stranded successful an infinite virtual universe, warring for endurance against 30 cardinal players.”

It seems apt we’ll besides drawback up with their real-life counterparts, too, and possibly spot what’s happened with the Infinity crippled present that Robert Daly is nary longer oozing his toxicity into its programming, oregon swiping DNA astir the office.

Black Mirror play 7 hits Netflix April 10.

Want much io9 news? Check retired erstwhile to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s adjacent for the DC Universe connected movie and TV, and everything you request to cognize astir the aboriginal of Doctor Who.