Black Mirror Season 7 trailer reveals the unsettling plots of each new episode
Netflix has released the episodic trailer for Black Mirror Season 7, giving us a closer look at the technological nightmares we can expect from the next installment of Charlie Brooker's anthology series.
First up is "Common People," starring Rashida Jones, Chris O'Dowd, and Tracee Ellis Ross. Jones plays schoolteacher Amanda, who experiences a medical emergency that leaves her fighting for her life. Her husband Mike (O'Dowd) signs her up for Rivermind, described as a "revolution in neurological science." But Rivermind comes at a high price — one that, based on the trailer, involves running ads through Amanda's consciousness. Dark stuff.
Next up is "Bête Noire," which sees confectionary whizz kid Maria (Siena Kelly) reunite with her old classmate Verity (Rosy McEwen) at work. However, there's something unsettling about Verity that only Maria seems to notice. Is Verity really changing things at Maria's work, or is it all in her head? Judging by Black Mirror's track record, you wouldn't be wrong to guess the former.
In "Eulogy," an isolated man (Paul Giamatti) tries out a new technology that allows him to step into old photographs alongside a mysterious guide (Patsy Ferran). Strong emotions are sure to follow, with Giamatti begging the guide to "get me out of here" in the trailer.
"Hotel Reverie," starring Issa Rae, Awkwafina, and Emma Corrin, centers on a remake of a British movie that's being filmed in real-time using a system called ReDream. ReDream sends A-list star Brandy Friday (Rae) into another dimension populated by AI constructs, including Corrin's character. Will these AI characters find out the truth about their reality, and will Brandy make it home?
In the first sneak peek at "Plaything," Peter Capaldi looks absolutely terrifying, which examines an eccentric murder in near-future London. Somehow, the culprit is linked to a game from the '90s, which features cute, evolving artificial life forms that seem to have spoken to Capaldi's character, Cameron Walker.
"I could receive their first message," he says in the trailer. "A greeting."
"Plaything" also stars Will Poulter and Asim Chaudhry, reprising their roles from the interactive special Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. But it's not the only episode this season to return to a prior Black Mirror installment.
The trailer closes out with a longer look at "USS Callister" sequel "USS Callister: Into Infinity." The USS Callister's tyrannical Captain Robert Daly may be dead, but the starship's crew — led by new Captain Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti) — is now stranded in the universe of the game Infinity, fighting for survival against 30 million players.
Milioti, Jimmi Simpson, Billy Magnussen, Osy Ikhile, Milanka Brooks, and Paul G. Raymond reprise their roles from the original episode, and the trailer even hints that we'll get to see how their characters' real-world counterparts react to their in-game exploits.
"Don't freak out," Nanette tells James (Simpson) in the Callister Inc. offices.
Easier said than done, Nanette — after these sneak peeks, we're definitely spooked.