Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) is an interactive film in the science fiction anthology series Black Mirror, written by creator Charlie Brooker and directed by David Slade. The film includes a brief tutorial, tailored to the viewer’s streaming device, which explains how to make choices. When faced with a decision point, the viewer has ten seconds to choose before a default option is selected for them. On average, the viewing time is 90 minutes, although the quickest pathway concludes after just 40 minutes. With 150 minutes of unique footage divided into 250 segments, there are over one trillion possible paths for the viewer to take. Some scenes can be reached through multiple routes but will present different options based on how they were accessed. Additionally, certain loops may guide viewers towards a specific narrative regardless of their choices.

In July 1984, in Britain, a young programmer named Stefan Butler is working on adapting his late mother’s book, Bandersnatch by Jerome F. Davies, into an innovative adventure game. He presents his idea to Tuckersoft, a video game company run by Mohan Thakur and known for employing the renowned game designer Colin Ritman. Stefan is then faced with the decision of collaborating with the company or going solo. If he agrees to work with them, Colin warns him that he has taken the “wrong path”. After months of development, the game is released and receives harsh criticism for being “designed by committee”. Stefan contemplates starting over and as the film rewinds to the day of his offer, the viewer is once again presented with the same choice.