Why Black Mirror's USS Callister Spin-Off Series Never Happened

"Black Mirror" season 7 recently arrived on Netflix, and it brought with it another batch of twisted sci-fi tales. Perhaps most important of all, it finally delivered a sequel to the fan-favorite episode "USS Callister" from season 4, something many viewers have waited a long time to see. That's certainly good news. But at one time, there was talk of doing an entire spin-off series based on that episode. So, what happened? We finally have an answer.

Talk of a "USS Callister" spin-off series first emerged in 2018, with the episode's director, Toby Haynes, explaining that he'd had conversations about it. However, there have been few updates since then. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Haynes, who returned to direct the season 7 sequel episode, "USS Callister: Into Infinity," offered some background on how the spin-off started to come together behind the scenes before it ultimately fell apart:

"I was talking about it as soon as we finished the first one. I said to [creator] Charlie [Booker], 'We've made the best sci-fi pilot for a show that doesn't exist. We've sort of done an undercover pilot, why don't we just go straight into a series?' And he said, 'Oh, you know, people have talked to me before about spinning off episodes and I've never wanted to do it. I like to do fresh ideas.' But me and Louise Sutton, who produced that one, kept coming up with ideas and badgering Charlie. Charlie likes to come up with his own stuff, because he's a genius. But I think by us badgering him, he very quickly saw the scope of what could be done and he started work on it."

"I think they first talked to me about doing a season of 'Callister' back when I was doing 'Andor.' That was the first time it'd sort of become real," he added. Indeed, Haynes was busy directing episodes of the "Star Wars" series "Andor" for Disney+, which was itself a demanding job.

Despite Booker's resistance to doing a spin-off, Haynes and Sutton were able to convince him that this one was a good idea. It makes sense too, given that "USS Callister" is oft-cited as one of the best "Black Mirror" episodes to date. Speaking further, Haynes explained that they talked even more about the prospect when he returned to direct a key episode in the show's sixth season:

"There was always a chat about doing it, and then once I was done [with] 'Andor,' I went back to work with Charlie [to direct] 'Demon 79.' That was a real pleasure to work with him again on such a fantastic script. I was really proud of that film, and we were constantly talking about the 'Callister' series. That's when he started working with [season 7 executive producer] Jessica [Rhoades], who really put a rocket up it as well."

The first thing that got in the way of the spin-off was the COVD-19 pandemic in 2020, which pretty much shut down Hollywood for the better part of a year. As Haynes further explained, it was 2023's dual SAG and WGA strikes that totally killed the spin-off's chances of happening at all:

"Suddenly, it was looking like it was going to be the next project, and that was seriously exciting. Then it was the actors strike [in 2023] — so it all fell apart! We were literally about to start what was going to be a 'Callister' series. I think she used that time [during the strikes], knowing everyone's limited availability, to figure out, 'How do we make this happen in a way that can get everybody back?' And then it became a single film."

Indeed, "Black Mirror" season 7 includes a sequel in the form of "USS Callister: Into Infinity." Fans may have had to wait more than seven years to see it, but it finally happened. Whether or not it was worth the wait is a matter of personal opinion, but the episode sees Cristin Milioti's Nanette taking center stage this time around.

"That's when it got really exciting for me. One film is a sequel. It's not a series, and it kind of elevates the whole thing into the perfect format for a sci-fi adventure," Haynes added. "We could be making our own, I'd like to say, iconic sci-fi trilogy within the 'Black Mirror' world. And what could be better? It's so exciting. If we do another one! I'd like to make good on the trilogy."

So yes, even though we didn't get a full spin-off series, Haynes now hopes to turn the "USS Callister" into a trilogy within the "Black Mirror" universe. And Haynes admittedly has lofty goals for the trilogy overall, even making comparisons to "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" and James Cameron's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," some of the best sequels ever made:

"This was our chance to do 'Empire Strikes Back' or 'Aliens' or even 'Terminator 2.' If we were going to come back, how do we upgrade? There are so many sequels that miss the mark in sci-fi, but there are a few that really hit the mark. How do we be the ones that really justify a sequel by making it bigger, better, more exciting, funnier, more emotional, upgrade the effects. Everything was a huge amount of pressure to try to deliver something special."

As of this writing, a third entry in the "USS Callister" series hasn't been confirmed. However, "Black Mirror" continues to be a hit for Netflix, so it doesn't seem unlikely. Let's just hope it doesn't take another seven or eight years.

"Black Mirror" is streaming now on Netflix.