Death to 2020
| Death to 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Charlie Brooker |
| Written by | Charlie Brooker |
| Produced by | Charlie Brooker |
| Starring | |
Production companies | Broke and Bones |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Death to 2020 is an upcoming mockumentary by Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones under their Broke and Bones production company as a Netflix original production. The special is intended to mock the state of the year 2020 highlighted by events of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other topics. It is planned for release on Netflix on 27 December 2020.
Cast
The following are affirmed actors that will be appearing in the work.[1][2]
- Samuel L. Jackson as a reporter
- Hugh Grant as a historian
- Lisa Kudrow as a conservative spokesperson
- Leslie Jones as a behavioral psychologist
- Joe Keery as a gig economy millennial
- Kumail Nanjiani as a CEO of a technology company
- Tracey Ullman as Queen Elizabeth II
- Cristin Milioti as a soccer mom
- Diane Morgan as an average citizen
- Samson Kayo as a scientist
- Laurence Fishburne as the narrator
Production
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 "Death to 2020 – Official teaser"Released 7 December 2020 | |
| "Death to 2020 – Official trailer" Released 21 December 2020 |
Prior to producing Black Mirror, Brooker had done several end-of-year topical comedy specials for the BBC based on his Weekly Wipe series up through 2016. He had created a special Antiviral Wipe earlier in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brooker saw Death to 2020 as different to his previous topical comedy, as it is "more character-based" and he does not serve as presenter.[2]
It is produced by Broke and Bones, which Brooker and Annabel Jones founded after departing from House of Tomorrow, the production company they had worked with for the Endemol Shine group in producing Black Mirror. The two reportedly left House of Tomorrow over intellectual property rights issues.[3][4] Netflix has a deal for exclusive rights over Broke and Bones productions. Death to 2020 is its first full production after the co-production Antiviral Wipe.[5]
Actor Hugh Grant revealed the project's existence in an interview with New York Magazine in late November 2020, saying Brooker had written a mockumentary about the year 2020, which was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and described by some as a real-life version of a Black Mirror episode. Brooker said he would play the role of a historian who's being interviewed about the year.[6][7]
Further details of the special were announced in early December 2020, including many of the principal cast.[8][1]
References
- ^ a b Ramachandran, Naman (7 December 2020). "Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Lisa Kudrow to Feature in Netflix Comedy Event 'Death to 2020'". Variety. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Netflix's 'Death to 2020' Skewers "Trainwreck" Year in Mockumentary Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Ravindran, Manori (24 January 2020). "'Black Mirror' Creators Quit Endemol Shine-Owned Label While Navigating IP Headaches With Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (10 February 2020). "'Black Mirror' Creators Charlie Brooker & Annabel Jones Waste Little Time In Launching New Production Outfit". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (7 December 2020). "'Death To 2020': Samuel L. Jackson, Lisa Kudrow, Joe Keery, Leslie Jones Join Charlie Brooker's Netflix Comedy Event Special". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Harris, Mark (30 November 2020). "Hugh Grant Got the Undoing Ending He Wanted". Vulture. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ White, Peter (30 November 2020). "'Black Mirror' Creator Charlie Brooker Preps 2020 Mockumentary For Netflix; Hugh Grant To Feature". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ Warner, Sam (4 December 2020). "Black Mirror creators reveal first look at new Netflix mockumentary special". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 December 2020.