Latest news with #BlackMirror:Bandersnatch
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Netflix may soon start showing users 'different' trailers for same content
Netflix is reportedly developing technology that could personalise not only its content recommendations but also the videos themselves. This suggests a future where streaming experiences are individually tailored. Recent patents issued to Netflix indicate the streamer is exploring the creation of customised trailers and interactive movies or shows. These personalised content variations would be based on the information Netflix gathers about its users. One patent, issued in December 2024, specifically describes a method for Netflix to develop different trailers for the same movie, each customised for individual users. What the company said about the new ways of showing content In a statement to Business Insider, Netflix said: "The trailer may highlight movie clips that showcase an actor or actress that the user has shown an interest in, or may highlight certain segments that show the genre or some of the comedic moments of the movie.' The first patent primarily addresses movie trailers but notes that its core principles could also apply to 'full-length movies, trailers for television shows or full-length television shows, trailers for audio books or full-length audio books, etc.' Meanwhile, a second patent, which was filed by Netflix in February, outlines a machine learning approach for creating interactive, choose-your-own-adventure-style content. This method would tailor choices to individual viewers based on their profile data—for instance, presenting a romantic-themed option to someone whose viewing history suggests an interest in that genre. Netflix previously explored interactive content with titles like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend (2020). However, interest declined, and all interactive titles were removed from the platform by May. This recent patent suggests that Netflix may revisit interactive storytelling, now supported by updated technology that could move beyond the earlier fixed decision-tree approach.
Business Insider
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Netflix is developing tech that personalizes trailers, TV shows, and movies to match your tastes
Netflix is developing tech that could help it personalize not only the recommendations you see on the service but also the videos themselves. Patents issued to Netflix in recent months show the streamer is exploring the creation of customized trailers and interactive movies or shows based on what it knows about its users. One patent, from December, describes how Netflix could develop different trailers for the same movie that could be personalized for each user. "The trailer may highlight movie clips that showcase an actor or actress that the user has shown an interest in, or may highlight certain segments that show the genre or some of the comedic moments of the movie," Netflix gave as an example. While the patent focuses on movie trailers, it says the principles involved may be applied to "full-length movies, trailers for television shows or full-length television shows, trailers for audio books or full-length audio books, etc." In a second patent, from February, Netflix described a method of making choose-your-own-adventure-style titles using machine learning that offers viewers choices based on what it knows about them. For example, one could show, say, a romantic-themed option to someone whose profile indicates an interest in that topic. Netflix has previously experimented with interactive shows and movies, most notably with its 2018 film, "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch," about a programmer who starts questioning reality when he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game, and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend," a 2020 interactive film based on the Tina Fey-created series. However, the momentum behind that original wave petered out, and Netflix removed all its interactive titles from the service, with the final ones leaving in May. This new patent suggests that interactive titles could get a second look, with new tech backing them up. Netflix's previous tech presented all users with the same fixed decision tree. Netflix declined to comment on the patents. Phil Petitpont, cofounder of Moments Lab, an AI startup that helps media companies monetize their video libraries, said dynamic storytelling had a lot of potential for social media virality, as users are likely to share their experiences with others. He imagined how Netflix could apply it in the future. "When you see video games like 'Death Stranding,' 'Metal Gear Solid,' or even any games from Quantic Dream studios, it's built like a long interactive cinematic," he said. "We could expect the next season of 'Black Mirror' to be an experiment on this one." Get ready for custom trailers The idea of customized movie and TV trailers seems to be the most immediate practical application of the patents. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Netflix has been trying to address what's become a widespread pain point: The proliferation of titles on streamers has made it harder to find something to watch and left some viewers overwhelmed. At the same time, Netflix is trying to boost time spent on the service, which will help its growing ad business. Along those lines, it's also been exploring other formats and types of content like live events, talk shows, and video podcasts. Like other media and entertainment companies, Netflix has also been using AI in various phases of production to make films and shows faster and cheaper. In May, Netflix made a slew of changes to its homepage to make it easier for users to choose what to watch. These changes included making shortcuts more visible, making recommendations that respond to people's moods and interests in the moment, and introducing a generative AI search tool. Bryn Mooser, the founder of AI studio Asteria, said he saw potential in using AI to customize trailers. "Netflix has always cared about giving customers a great user experience, and if they can use this tech to recommend movies people really like and attract people with custom trailers, I think that's really exciting," he said. "I want all my streamers to come up with better recommendations."
NDTV
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Long Before Housefull 5 's Multiple Climaxes, There Was A Netflix Film That Did It
Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B. These aren't two seat numbers of the same row in a cinema hall for the movie Housefull 5. They refer to the two alternate endings of the fifth installment in the popular but oft-ridiculed comedy franchise. This edition, directed by Tarun Mansukhani and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, won't just be a Housefull -style slapstick comedy. There's also an element of murder mystery to it. When a billionaire (Ranjeet) is murdered on a cruise ship, three men -- played by Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and Riteish Deshmukh -- come forward claiming to be his rightful heir, Jolly. Chaos and comedy ensue when the search for the billionaire's killer and the real heir begins. As Housefull 5 releases in theatres today, the comedy thriller will have two climaxes with different murderers. At the trailer launch of the film, Nadiadwala proudly declared a film with two different endings was something that hadn't "happened anywhere else in the world", adding that he was toying with the idea for the last 30 years. "I've written a story [ Housefull ] where every theatre will have a different killer. So, if you watch it at Gaiety, it'll have one killer. If you watch it at Galaxy, there'll be another. In PVR screen number 4, you'll see a different killer, and in PVR screen number 5, yet another one. It's like every time you watch the film, you'll get a different ending," the producer had said. But Is That So? While two alternate endings with different murderers is a first for the Housefull franchise, which started 15 years ago, it's not a novel concept. In 2018, streamer Netflix came out with Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, an interactive film set in the dystopian sci-fi thriller world of Black Mirror anthology series franchise. It was directed by David Slade and penned by Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker. Set in 1984, the movie followed a young programmer named Stefan Butler, played by Fionn Whitehead, who is adapting a fantasy gamebook into a video game. And, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch had not two, but many, many endings. How so? Its interactive medium film gave the viewer the agency to make decisions for the protagonist. They chose what happened to Stefan - whether he accepts or rejects help from the game company in developing the game, or whether he jumps off the balcony or not. However, Bandersnatch wasn't the first of its kind either. In the past, Malayalam film Harikrishnans (1998) and Hollywood movie Clue (1985) released in theatres with different endings. Bandersnatch, however, gave the viewer the power to decide the end. This Netflix film received mixed reviews with much debate over the extent to which the viewer's decision influenced the story's narrative and subsequent outcome. But when have reviews ever been a concern for the Housefull folk. Its budget, crassness of jokes, and also box office collections have only increased over the years. The last film, Housefull 4 was mounted on a budget of Rs 150 crore and it managed to collect over Rs 280 crore at the ticket windows. As for Housefull 5, you can choose your poison - Housefull 5A, Housefull 5B, or, maybe both?
The Herald Scotland
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Thanks to Netflix, you will never watch this Black Mirror ever again
Bandersnatch gave the viewer the choice of what story beats would play out through numerous choices. It was not just a simple forked path but innovatively tracked the viewer across multiple watches, contained secret scenes to unlock depending on what choices were made, and displayed alternate endings depending on the user's own Netflix history. It was, at once, active and reactive. A well-thought-out execution for such an overt gimmick. Read more: Netflix and the films no one is actually watching The deletion is prompted by the streaming giant removing its Branch Manager engine, tech built to host and contain the interactive elements from outside the capabilities of Netflix's usual interface. But the bespoke nature of this tech and the little care Netflix has towards preservation mean that experiencing these works as they were intended becomes impossible. Archivists can scrape scenes and approximate how the title should be viewed, but the genuine article now sits in a locked vault of code somewhere in the basement of Netflix HQ. It's not just Black Mirror: Bandersnatch that finds itself being erased from time and space altogether – it is any title on the platform that uses the interactivity features Netflix was once so gung ho on experimenting with. Also seeing the chop is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend, Minecraft: Story Mode, and Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, among others. Whatever is available on Netflix comes and goes, dependent on ever-changing licensing rights and the tedious process of expiry and renewal, but these interactive titles are owned and distributed by Netflix. It has long been assumed that such in-house titles are a permanent addition to their library, yet the recent decision to completely remove them betrays such confidence and conventional wisdom. Read more: Trump film tariff proves Scottish film cannot afford to sell out to Hollywood This raises some questions about digital preservation in the streaming era. Unlike traditional films or television, which can be archived properly and redistributed without much fuss if available, these interactive titles rely on specialised software to function and, without it, are lost entirely. How do we preserve such things in an environment that is so ephemeral and so unconsidered by its own makers? The crux lies in the impermanent nature of digital media. Even titles produced and owned by major platforms are no longer guaranteed to remain accessible. For fans of Bandersnatch, this means that unless Netflix reverses course or releases the title in a different format, its unique narrative vanishes without a trace. The move may also signal a shift in Netflix's strategy. Interactive storytelling, once seen as an innovative experiment, appears to have been deprioritised. While Bandersnatch was a critical and commercial success, later interactive titles failed to generate the same buzz. By sunsetting the Branch Manager engine, Netflix is definitively closing the book on this chapter of its history. There is a stark difference between the Netflix that once greenlit Bandersnatch and what arose after. Bandersnatch was produced in a streaming environment where money was thrown at the wall to see what would stick, where experimentation was encouraged, where notable auteurs like Martin Scorsese and David Fincher were given endless pots of money to make what they wanted, and where the platform was eager to differentiate itself from traditional television. Mindhunter, David Fincher's psychological serial killer series, was cancelled by Netflix due to financial issues (Image: Netflix) Netflix has now peaked in popularity, and its user base has declined for the first time in recent years. Focus on proven hits like Stranger Things, and the illusion of an endless stream of content to retain subscribers, regardless of quality, is now a safer and more financially sound direction for the waning giant. Film preservationists have long worked to rescue decaying reels collecting dust in warehouses and obscure forgotten releases from the abyss of history. Digital media has fixed a lot of the traditional problems associated with archival practices, but as seen here, it also presents new and unaccounted-for challenges. Some argue that piracy becomes a form of preservation in these cases. If corporations won't maintain access to their own works, fans and archivists must take matters into their own hands. But do archivists have to break the law to do what is for the greater good? For now, viewers hoping to revisit Bandersnatch or similar titles are left with few options – unofficial recordings, fan archives, or the slim chance of a future re-release. Bandersnatch remains a ghost in Netflix's servers – a relic of a time when the future of entertainment had the door open to more possibilities. Its removal is a reminder that in the digital age, nothing is guaranteed to last. Here today, gone tomorrow.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lena Dunham Series ‘Too Much' Gets Release Date, First Look at Netflix
Lena Dunham is making her return to television. Netflix has revealed a first look and release date for Dunham's new series 'Too Much.' Starring Meg Stalter, Will Sharpe, Michael Zegan, Janicza Bravo, Richard E. Grant, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Andrew Rannells, Rhea Perlman, Emily Ratajkowski and Adwoa Aboah, the series will debut globally on Netflix July 10. More from Variety Tom Segura's Mom Roasts His Netflix Comedy 'Bad Thoughts': 'It's an Insult to Humanity' (EXCLUSIVE) Lovie Simone Isn't Done With 'Forever': 'I Don't Think This Is the End' 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' Is Getting Pulled by Netflix The official synopsis for 'Too Much' reads: 'Jessica (Stalter) is a New York workaholic in her mid-thirties, reeling from a broken relationship that she thought would last forever and slowly isolating everyone she knows. When every block in New York tells a story of her own bad behaviour, the only solution is to take a job in London, where she plans to live a life of solitude like a Bronte sister.' 'But when she meets Felix (Will Sharpe) – a walking series of red flags – she finds that their unusual connection is impossible to ignore, even as it creates more problems than it solves. Now they have to ask themselves: do Americans and Brits actually speak the same language? From the creator of Girls and the producers of Love Actually, Too Much is an ex-pat rom-com for the disillusioned who wonder if true love is still possible, but sincerely hope that it is.' Created by Dunham and Luis Felber, 'Too Much' is written, directed, and executive produced by Dunham, with Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Michael P. Cohen, Surian Fletcher-Jones and Bruce Eric Kaplan serving as additional executive producers. 'Too Much' is produced by Working Title Television and Good Thing Going Productions and Universal International Studios. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
