Netflix to Pull ‘Black Mirror Bandersnatch” in Interactive Purge
Netflix is about to remove its final two interactive specials. The What’s on Netflix website has posted notices for Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmid: Kimmy Vs. the Reverend and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Both will be leaving the platform on May 12.
According to the publication, their departure marks the end for interactive specials on the platform as the platform shifts its focus towards mobile and cloud gaming.
Netflix has not responded to a comment request.
Since the launch of the Puss In Book in 2017, interactive content has slowly disappeared from the platform. In 2024 there were only four interactive specials. Ranveer vs Wild, with Bear Grylls, and You vs. Wild have been removed since January this year.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, released in December 2018, was written by Charlie Brooker, the creator of the series. It was directed by David Slade. Starring Fionn Whitehead, Will Poulter and Craig Parkinson, the interactive choose-your-own-adventure tale follows young programmer Stefan (Whitehead), who is adapting a fantasy gamebook into a video game in 1984.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmid: Kimmy Schimdt vs. The Reverend, the fourth season of the Tina Fey-Robert Carlock comedy starring Ellie Kemper ended several months ago. It was an unexpected release.
The series’ main cast, including Jane Krakowski, Carol Kane, Titussburgess and Kemper are all returning for the special. Kimmy must stop the Reverend’s evil plot (Jon Hamm), in order to make it to her wedding. The fate of the characters is decided by viewers.
The removal of Bandersnatch, a highly successful Netflix creative project at the time because of its form follows function approach, comes just after Black Mirror Season 7 was released. This season includes “Plaything,” which is a sort of sequel to the standalone project, with Poulter reprising his legendary, off-kilter game creator character.
The platform is not clear if it will host these projects in the future, or in any other format. Since the titles need specific hosts in order to activate their unique playable features, there’s very little chance that this story can end in more than one way.
