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Netflix loses its Black Mirror creators as Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones have used a loophole to get out of their exclusive deal with the streamer

After five years, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker is a free agent, leaving the show's future uncertain at Netflix

Published on Wed Jul 09 2025

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If you thought that certain episodes of the Netflix series Black Mirror felt like pointed commentaries about Netflix itself — hands up, everyone who watched ‘Common People’! — here’s an even more pointed commentary: Black Mirror creators and producers Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones have left their own production company, pulling themselves out of a contract that saw them under an exclusive agreement with Netflix in the process.

Deadline reports that Brooker and Jones are leaving Broke & Bones five years after signing a $100 million deal with Netflix that would see the streamer own an increasing amount of the company over a five-year period. As a result, Brooker and Jones are free to work with any network, studio, or streaming service for the first time since 2020 — including Netflix, it should be noted — but are stepping away from control of the properties owned by Netflix… including Black Mirror.

Per Deadline, Netflix is “said to be committed” to more Black Mirror even if the show has yet to be officially renewed; while it’s possible that Brooker would remain attached to the series, his departure from Broke & Bones means that he’s unlikely to exercise the same level of control over the show moving forward, even if he does. Alternately, Netflix could choose to bring in new writers for any potential future seasons.

Black Mirror originated as a British TV series for Channel 4 in 2011, with the first two seasons airing prior to any connection from Netflix; the streamer became involved with the show from its third season onwards in 2016, and took over production and full ownership with the show's sixth season in 2023.

As for Brooker and Jones, it’s unclear where they’ll head next. Under the Netflix deal, they worked on a number of projects outside of the Black Mirror sphere, including satirical specials Death to 2020 and Death to 2021, as well as the two Philomena Cunk projects, and the animated interactive Cat Burglar short. The company also produced Toxic Town, a British drama from one of the writers of Netflix’s hit Adolescence. Given the success of Black Mirror, it feels likely they'll both be in demand from multiple parties.

Black Mirror is streaming on Netflix.

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Graeme McMillan: Popverse Editor Graeme McMillan (he/him) has been writing about comics, culture, and comics culture on the internet for close to two decades at this point, which is terrifying to admit. He completely understands if you have problems understanding his accent.