Black Mirror’s choose-your-own-storyline feature film, ‘Bandersnatch’, is more local than you’d expect for a highly anticipated and hugely well-funded Netflix original, that is both ground-breaking in concept and execution – paving the way for a new era of online streaming and the way in which we interact with the content we consume.
Filmed in the depths of South London in Croydon, Black Mirror returned to its British roots following increasing amounts of American episodes as a result of the jump from Channel 4 to Netflix. The budget for the film was doubled from normal Black Mirror episodes, a significant change considering the episodes are already often feature-length. Most the budget undoubtedly went into the intricacies and technology of producing a film with as many endings as Bandersnatch has, so it isn’t a surprise that the UK born show has come back to its London roots.
Bandersnatch was not the first time Black Mirror opted for South London as a filming location, with Skerne Road in Kingston Upon Thames featuring in ‘Shut up and Dance’, an extremely popular episode from much earlier on in the series featuring Alex Lawther.
Rumours about the filming in Croydon began in late April, as locals began noticing changes to their local high street. St George’s Walk was transformed into its 80s form, with old WHSmith signs put up and vintage record shops created for the film.
The brains behind the show, Charlie Brooker, is not the first person to utilise South London as a set location, with many famous films and movies opting for the area – infamous TV shows such as Outnumbered, to classic films such as Notting Hill.
When inevitably re-watching Bandersnatch to get a new ending or find some of the many hidden Easter Eggs, look out for Croydon whilst you’re picking between listening to the Thompson Twins or the newly released Now 2 Album!
