Following Black Mirror Season 7's Epic Casting News, There Are Two Actors I Desperately Want In The Same Episode

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 Annie Murphy sits on the couch in a daze, while wearing a cheerleader uniform in Black Mirror's. Joan Is Awful.
Credit: Nick Wall / Netflix

In the vast sea of knowledge still left to enrich in the 2024 TV schedule, there are still some bummers we’re constantly reminded of. Such as the fact that Black Mirror Season 7 isn’t going to air until an unknown window in 2025. However, Netflix being the generous benefactor that it is, has released the absolutely stacked cast for the next batch of dystopian satire that’ll probably make us laugh, cry, and gasp in equal measure. And thanks to this announcement, I desperately want two specific actors in this upcoming round of anthology to go head to head in the same episode.

Behold, Black Mirror’s Stacked Season 7 Cast

I’m not being overly generous with that wording either, as not only is the latest roster Netflix has announced impressive, but it’s literally stacked into a list. Amidst the names of other personnel from the Black Mirror franchise are scattered names like Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris O’Dowd, and Emma Corrin. Take a look at this cryptic video for yourself, and see how many names you can pick out:

With all of those names in the Season 7 cast list, it’s hard to not want to see every one of them in one feature-length film set in the Black Mirror-verse. At the same time, though, this is a world that’s known for mostly contained stories that still pack the star power.

It’s that vein that now has me really wanting to see newcomers Paul Giamatti and Peter Capaldi face each other in a hypothetical episode for the ages.

Paul Giamatti lectures at a podium in The Holdovers, pictured next to Peter Capaldi holding a bust in Doctor Who.
Paul Giamatti lectures at a podium in The Holdovers, pictured next to Peter Capaldi holding a bust in Doctor Who.

Why A Potential Paul Giamatti And Peter Capaldi Black Mirror Episode Excites Me

I keep thinking back to the first time I saw Black Mirror’s “Beyond The Sea” ending, and how chilled to the bone I was after watching Aaron Paul and Josh Hartnett square off. That is one of the most memorable episodes, and it's one of the best examples of how this series’ darker corners offer the biggest payoff.

So to have Peter Capaldi and Paul Giamatti engaged in a similar sort of installment is practically candy at this point. Or, conversely, there’s room for a sillier, more lighthearted comedy to put the skills of these venerated performers to work.

Though I know Giamatti’s recent Hostel series casting will feed the Academy Award nominee’s demand to get more horror action, and Capaldi has already shown his darker side in previous series like The Devil’s Hour and Criminal Record. With those highlights in the equation, I’d be willing to venture a guess that a simultaneously scary and goofy entry might not be a bad idea for this potentially perfect pairing.

Cristin Milioti in Black Mirror: USS Callister
Cristin Milioti in Black Mirror: USS Callister

In which case, we just might see an upcoming star of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and the Twelfth Doctor from Doctor Who show up in the long-teased “USS Callister” sequel that Cristin Milioti and Jimmi Simpson are presumably taking part in. And if you ask me, that’s a suggestion that only raises the stakes from exciting to can’t miss.

Though in all fairness, Black Mirror is one of those streaming series that I couldn’t see myself skipping out on, as Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology has made a name for itself by bringing tales of futuristic caution to life with flare. This is why I must sadly remind us all that Black Mirror Season 7 is currently compiling, and will debut at an undetermined point in 2025.

In the meantime, all six previous seasons are currently available for streaming, provided you have an active Netflix subscription. And if you haven’t already, I highly recommend playing through the interactive episode “Bandersnatch,” as those Tuckersoft references throughout the latest cast announcement could be hiding something from that elusive in-universe company...and hopefully it has something to do with Capaldi and Giamatti working together.