Black Mirror Season 6 Announces Stellar Cast
More than three years after the release of "Black Mirror" Season 5, it appears like the series is finally gearing up for a return.
The critically acclaimed British anthology series is known for exploring a variety of science fiction premises, most often dealing with the internet or modern technology. Indeed, the name of the series itself is a clever reference to the reflective blank screens of phones and computers — black mirrors through which the show can reflect our modern-day society. Although Season 6 of "Black Mirror" has been in development for years, there were a few key factors behind this extreme delay between seasons, with the biggest reason it wasn't happening being creator Charlie Brooker's belief that audiences would not enjoy such the often-bleak dystopian drama series during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 election, and so on.
In addition, Brooker and his business partner Annabel Jones actually left their production company during this time, leaving the rights to "Black Mirror" in the hands of House of Tomorrow — who effectively prevented any new seasons from releasing until a deal was finalized in 2022 (via Variety). Finally, we've now received some concrete news about the upcoming season — specifically regarding the insanely talented cast who have signed on to star in "Black Mirror" Season 6, following in the path of previously iconic "Black Mirror" actors like Daniel Kaluuya, Hayley Atwell, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Black Mirror Season 6 will star several prolific actors from across film and television
According to Variety, the cast of "Black Mirror" Season 6 will include the likes of Aaron Paul, Zazie Beetz, Kate Mara, Josh Hartnett, and Paapa Essiedu.
Aaron Paul, made famous by his performance in "Breaking Bad," is certainly no stranger to dystopian fiction, as he has appeared regularly in HBO's "Westworld" since Season 3. He is joined by "Atlanta" and "Joker" star Zazie Beetz, as well as British actor Paapa Essiedu, who recently headlined the science fiction time-loop series "The Lazarus Project" on Sky Max. This exceptional cast is rounded out by "House of Cards" star Kate Mara, and "Pearl Harbor" actor Josh Hartnett, the latter of whom is set to appear in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" next year.
Other additions to the Season 6 cast, not listed above, include Danny Ramirez, Clara Rugaard, Auden Thornton, and Anjana Vasan. Fans should expect more names to pop up in the future, as the announcement makes it clear that these incredible actors are only starring within the first three episodes of the season, with the expectation that Season 6 will have more episodes than its immediate predecessor.
In any case, it's certainly nice to finally get some news about the long-awaited return of "Black Mirror," especially when it includes casting choices this superb.