Black Mirror season 3 will not debut on Channel 4, instead going direct to Netflix
Channel 4's chief creative expressed his disappointment with not being able to snag the series
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Turns out Channel 4 won’t be debuting season three of their acclaimed series Black Mirror after all, as streaming giant Netflix has scooped up the Charlie Brooker show for a reported $40 million.
It was previously believed that the broadcaster had a “first look” option to premiere the series following last year’s Netflix acquisition, but The Guardian are now reporting that a deal between producer Endemol Shine and Channel 4 was never struck.
Publicly, management over at Channel 4 have expressed their disappointment with losing the series, while privately they are reported to be frustrated with its producer's company, owned by Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management.
“Black Mirror couldn’t be a more Channel 4 show,” said Channel 4 chief creative officer Jay Hunt. “We grew it from a dangerous idea to a brand that resonated globally.
“Of course it’s disappointing that the first broadcast window in the UK is then sold to the highest bidder, ignoring the risk a publicly owned channel like 4 took backing it.”
Channel 4 is understood to have made a substantial offer for the show but was outbid by Netflix, even when given the opportunity to bid once more. According to a statement by Shine, “every avenue” was explored to search for a deal with Channel 4 but “an agreement was not able to be reached”.
“Only following this and the first series’ exceptional performance when aired on Netflix, did Netflix offer a longer order of twelve with an increased budget that allowed producers [Endemol Shine-owned] House of Tomorrow to realise their ambitions for the series.
“Further efforts were made to try to reach a settlement regarding a UK window for Channel 4 but these were also sadly to no avail.”
The new series, which received a first trailer via Netflix’s Twitter account, will be made up of 12 episodes and will see the return of Brooker to the series.
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