(Image credit: Netflix)
Black Mirror is set to chart new horizons with its much-anticipated seventh season. Returning for the first time to a previous storyline, the show introduces a sequel to the acclaimed 2017 episode, USS Callister – but this time, expect something closer to a blockbuster than a classic space odyssey.
The initial episode embraced the nostalgic charm of Star Trek, but as director Toby Haynes reveals in the new issue of SFX magazine, which features Black Mirror season 7 and hits newsstands on Wednesday, March 26, “We definitely leaned into the dated feel of Star Trek for the first one; this one’s more of an action movie, more of a modern approach.”
Working with Charlie Brooker is always a whirlwind of creativity, says Haynes. “We spend a lot of time in heavy meetings that are stressful and always come out laughing at the end of it. I’m loving it. I’m Mr. Sci-Fi now,” he shares, adding that he has been immersed in the realm of space epics for quite a while.
The original USS Callister episode, part of season 4, showcased The Penguin’s Cristin Milioti as Nanette, a developer at Callister Inc., which creates a sci-fi multiplayer game named Infinity. But trouble looms as co-founder Robert Daly, portrayed by Jesse Plemons, reveals a sinister side through a hidden version of the game where he transforms his coworkers into digital replicas.
Nanette’s journey to take down the malicious Daly unfolds with the help of her co-stars, Jimmi Simpson and Billy Magnussen, and they will return for the sequel. As creator Charlie Brooker comments, “The first was a nod to Star Trek, and this sequel leans towards Star Wars. We’re going planetary, with pyrotechnics and a grander space-scale.”
The sequel taps into the unique interplay of reality and illusion, emphasizing that the game world is all too real for those inside it. Brooker notes, “It feels a bit Return of the Jedi, with epic space adventures.”
Subscribe to SFX for sneak previews, exclusive contests, and event details each month! Black Mirror season 7 lands on Netflix on April 10. Dive into the latest issue of SFX magazine and uncover all the must-know details, on sale from March 26. For more on what’s hitting the shelves, stay tuned.
Join the conversation on Twitter as we take you behind the scenes onto the bridge of the USS Callister, while repeatedly expressing our admiration for Charlton Brooker’s Dead Set. Catch the latest issue of @SFXmagazine from March 26! #BlackMirror #BuyMagazines pic.twitter.com/Uq2CLJRiTM March 21, 2025.