Black Mirror creators share cryptic teaser and cast for Netflix 'original comedy event'

Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones are declaring Death to 2020, which also happens to be the name of their mystery comedy event coming to Netflix.

The streaming studio pulled back the curtain on this new project Monday with casting announcements and a teaser video that jokes, "Even the creators of Black Mirror couldn't make this s--- up."

Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Lisa Kudrow, Kumail Nanjiani, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Leslie Jones, Diane Morgan, Cristin Milioti, and Joe Keery are the known actors involved in this "cathartic comedy," as it's described. Though, more are on the way.

According to Netflix, Death to 2020 is a "documentary-style special" that "weaves together some of the world's most (fictitious) renowned voices with real-life archival footage spanning the past 12 months."

Back in May, when the world endured the first COVID-19-prompted lockdowns, Brooker said he wasn't writing Black Mirror season 6. "At the moment, I don't know what stomach there would be for stories about societies falling apart, so I'm not working away on any of those," he said. At the same time, he teased what was probably secretly Death to 2020. "I'm sort of keen to revisit my comic skill set, so I've been writing scripts aimed at making myself laugh," he added.

While making the press rounds for HBO's The Undoing, Grant let slip that Brooker was making "a mockumentary about 2020" in an interview with Vulture. "It's for Netflix, and I am a historian who's being interviewed about the year," he said. "I'm pretty repellent, actually! And you'll like my wig."

Black Mirror originated on Channel 4 in the U.K. but since found a new home and audience at Netflix. A fifth season was released on the platform in 2019 following the 2018 interactive Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch.

Related content:

• Black Mirror creator not working on season 6 because we already feel depressed
• Miley Cyrus performs as Black Mirror persona Ashley O at Glastonbury Festival
• Miley Cyrus releases music video by her Black Mirror character