'Bandersnatch', in case you're unaware, was produced by Netflix series 'Black Mirror'. It debuted on the streaming service last month and sees viewers make decisions at various points which affect the storyline. Thus there are various endings to 'Bandersnatch' available.
Fionn Whitehead ('Dunkirk') plays Stefan, an aspiring video game designer who is adapting a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' novel. Will Poulter co-stars as a more experienced programmer named Colin Ritman.
Those who have watched - or played? - the episode should recall that the first choice offered is a simple one. You pick either Sugar Puffs or Frosties for Stefan's breakfast.
Charlie Brooker told Radio Times: “There is a small pay-off that comes later on..
“Depending on what you chose at the start, when Stefan goes to put a video tape in his TV, it shows you an advert for whichever cereal it was.”
However, the implications of this decision were originally going to be much creepier.
Annabel Jones revealed:
“when you kill Dad in the kitchen, there was going to be a cutaway shot of whichever cereal you chose, the cereal box on the table getting splattered with blood.”
Brooker thought it was “a really funny gag”, dark as it is.
The idea was cut for a pretty logical, simple reason. They were worried that they'd lose permission to use the cereal companies' branding if they went ahead with it.
“Not quite showing the ‘positive light of the product,’” Jones concluded.
Brooker has also gained traction in the news lately for an interview with the Huffington Post. In it, he told fans to "f--- off" if they don't like making decisions during 'Bandersnatch.'
Regarding how people have responded to the film, he said:
"It's been interesting that you get different reactions from different people, partly based on what they're expecting, or what they want.
"So some people go, 'oh, I'm sh-- at this', and you sort of go, 'no no, it's alright, we've built in that you're going to fail.'"
He added:
"We're trying to make you fail a couple of times so that you have to go around and do things again, and that's sort of baked into the story.
"There's also some people that are like 'I don't wanna make decisions', 'I don't want to do any of it'. Well f--- off, then. Do something else!"
Brooker also briefly talked about whether 'Bandersnatch' is a game or not. He also addressed those who said it's "too simple" for a game.
"Well this isn't on a gaming platform, it's on Netflix," he said. "I'm well aware of what a computer game is, thanks."
