Why did Black Mirror creator decide to make a USS Callister sequel? Answer revealed

The Black Mirror world is back with Season 7, and for the first time in the series' history, one of its earlier episodes is being followed by a sequel. Fans of the Emmy-winning Black Mirror Season 4 episode USS Callister can expect to go back on board the spaceship and its virtual crew.

This decision to create a sequel has raised a key question: what made Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker choose to revisit USS Callister at this point? As Brooker said, the sequel was "long in the making," and the thought of carrying on the story was there from the start. He said,

"A, it was just that I love those characters and the cast, but director Toby [Haynes] was keen from the start to do a follow up."

But the journey to reality took time, with scheduling problems and the pandemic adding to the complexity.

The return of the USS Callister storyline is more than nostalgia. It fits with the show's overall return to its tech-based origins in Black Mirror Season 7.

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Revisiting the USS Callister Universe

When asked why USS Callister was selected for the first follow-up in the Black Mirror series, Brooker answered candidly:

"I thought, let’s go for the most expensive!"

But there is more to it than the joke, he continued, stating that the concept had been explored since the first episode's conclusion.

"It ended with them flying off into a new universe. But it’s been a long time in the making. We had a pandemic. And just getting everyone’s schedules to align was a puzzle."

Original cast members Jesse Plemons and Cristin Milioti originally appeared in the episode, and both are coming back in Black Mirror Season 7. The sequel seemed organic to Brooker and Haynes, both of whom realized there was narrative value in living in the digital world. In Brooker's opinion,

"It was from the very beginning, when we finished the first one... I love those characters and the cast."

Executive producer Jessica Rhoades added,

"It’s an episode that always played in a specific genre, and if you pull in the string of that genre, it’s also a genre that welcomes sequels and the show’s characters to go on their next mission together. So it felt really natural."

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Why now? Timing and creative freedom

The second part was postponed due to real-world issues. As noted by Brooker,

"It’s been a long time in the making. We had a pandemic."

Organizing actors' schedules proved another challenge, particularly due to the busy public lives of the actors. Even with the delay, the producers felt now was the time. Season 7 is a thematic back-to-basics of tech-centric storytelling following seasons that experimented with wider genres such as horror.

The USS Callister follow-up falls in line with this return, visiting the digital realm that characterized earlier seasons.

This season also allowed the creators to experiment. Brooker said,

“As time has gone on, we’ve extended what a Black Mirror episode is. We’ve done some that are hopeful and some that are sad and some that are bleak and some that are funny.”

Revisiting USS Callister gave the team a way to explore a familiar digital setting with new creative tools.

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The bigger picture for Black Mirror Season 7

Black Mirror Season 7 consists of six episodes that go back to the show's origins, with subjects that concern AI, video games, and digitization. Common People is one episode that seems to be making commentary on algorithmic platforms and sponsored posts, which made people speculate that it's yet another attack on Netflix.

Brooker answered this directly:

"Almost disappointingly, no."

He explained the concept came from hearing podcasts and observing how podcast hosts read advertisements naturally. He also referred to writer Cory Doctorow's coinage of the term "Inshitification," where services deteriorate gradually as they focus on making money.

Brooker went on, "But you can apply that to Facebook, to Uber … you name it."

He had not intended with Common People to reflect wide economic pressures, not particularly to castigate Netflix.

Asked whether the series has softened with age, Brooker replied,

"Even if there are some episodes that skew hopeful by the end, usually it wanders down a dark alley at some point and sniffs the air."

He explained,

"It always has to be the right story, and not just a pointless waste of the world’s fucking time."

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The choice to produce a sequel to USS Callister was based on both creative interest and narrative opportunity. Director Toby Haynes and Charlie Brooker had wished to follow up the story since the first episode had been broadcast. External delays such as the pandemic and actor availability delayed the production.