Few shows have pulled back the veil on modern societies uncomfortable relationship with technology quite like Black Mirror. The Channel 4, now Netflix Original, has just dropped the trailer for Bandersnatch, the first Black Mirror movie.
What is a Bandersnatch?
In the new Black Mirror movie of the same name, the Bandersnatch is a game developed by an estranged but genius game developer Jerome F. Davies. Furthermore, this fictional game is based on a fictional character in Lewis Carroll’s 1872 novel, Through the Looking Glass and also features as an enemy in Resident Evil – Code: Veronica.
Now we can add “first feature-length Black Mirror movie” to the list of times Bandersnatch has been referenced.
What is Black Mirror Bandersnatch About?
This hasn’t had much of a build up to date, but the trailer does give us a fair insight into what we can expect. Actually, on that note: the trailer is incredible. Set to the tune of Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, it’s a properly gripping minute and a half-plus of movie prep:
By the looks of things, Bandersnatch is set in the 1980s and hones in on the drug-fuelled game development industry. We even get a throwback to the Metalhead dog robot from the last season of the Black Mirror series.
The movie finds itself at the moment where the games industry bursts into life, the trailer opening with a studio head claiming they’ll be “a hit factory” like “Motown but for computer games”.
Bandersnatch Will Be A Choose Your Own Adventure Movie
Last year, Netflix rolled out one of their most exciting tests in the form of an interactive Puss in Boots movie. Netflix producers love using data to make their shows, so at the time I thought this would be little more than a movie-making way of doing A/B testing. Turns out Netflix were really excited about creating “choose your own adventure” programming.
Bandersnatch is their most ambitious project yet, as the film waits for you to make key decisions throughout the story which completely change the journey you take. Impressively, the movie even remembers decisions you’ve made in the past and brings them up again down the line, right from the first choice just five minutes in.
Devices Compatible With Netflix Bandersnatch
I’ve been testing out which devices you’ll be able to enjoy Bandersnatch on. It is supported on smart TVs, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, Android devices, iOS devices and web browsers.
As there is an interactive element, not all devices will work. For example, Chromecast and Apple TV won’t allow you to make choices.
We’ll be giving this a full playthrough today and will pop up a review as soon as we can.
When is Black Mirror Bandersnatch Available to Stream?
Here’s the really good news. Normally, great trailers drop and then we have to wait months to watch the movie. Bandersnatch is very different. The trailer dropped yesterday and the movie is now available to stream. Well, it’s available to play is probably more accurate. Yup, you can watch Black Mirror Bandersnatch on Netflix right now.
