After assembling a roster of enviable talent on both sides of the lens, Netflix has confirmed today that Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker’s jet-black anthology series, will make its return on October 21.
Season three, which has plucked Joe Wright and 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg to helm select installments, will run six episodes in total. No word yet on where Wright and Trachtenberg’s contributions will fit into the overarching arc, but Variety has confirmed that additional episodes will drop on October 31, bringing the total count to twelve – a notable mark-up from previous seasons.
In typically cryptic fashion, the show’s official Twitter account teased the oncoming third season.
86 Days.
— Black Mirror (@blackmirror) July 27, 2016
Joining Wright and Trachtenberg on the roster of directors is Charlie Brooker himself, and his involvement ought to curb fears that the show’s quality will wane with the increased episode count. As for the cast, up until now Black Mirror season 3 has enlisted Wyatt Russell, Mackenzie Davis, Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard, and Alice Eve of Star Trek Into Darkness fame.
Originally hatched by UK station Channel 4, Black Mirror is celebrated for its mesmerizing knack to tap into the social zeitgeist, presenting a dark and twisted reflection of modern society – hence the title. Themes of cyberterrorism, virtual reality and full-blown dystopias have been tackled before, so surely a warped version of Pokemon Go – or some AR permutation – is a shoo-in?
Black Mirror season 3 premieres on October 21. Mark it.