The official trailer for Charlie Brooker’s upcoming Netflix mockumentary Death To 2020 has been unveiled, weeks after it was first teased by the Black Mirror creator.
And Hugh Grant, 60, is seen getting into a character as a grey bespectacled man in the clip, brandishing a glass of liquor as he prepares to sit down for an interview.
He joins Samuel L. Jackson, 72, who complains about the prospect of being in the trailer’s intro – which he is – and Lisa Kudrow, 57, who plays a political spokesperson.
New trailer: Hugh Grant appears in the trailer for the upcoming mockumentary Death To 2020
As various stars appear onscreen, narrator Laurence Fishburne says: ‘2020, a year whose story couldn’t be told until now because it was still happening.
‘With unprecedented access to experts, politicos, monarchs, and average citizens, this is the definitive story of the most historic year in history.’
Portraying his historian character, Hugh says to the the documentary makers of his alcohol-filled glass: ‘If I leave my little helper down here, it that out of your box?’
Pulp Fiction star Samuel kicks off proceedings as he says: ‘What is this you guys wanna talk about?’… Don’t be filming this for one of those casual introductory chats please. That’s s**t’s demeaning.’
My, Hugh look different! Donning spectacles and a silver wig to play a historian, he looks a far cry from his usual self. Pictured right in November 2019
Getting political: Lisa Kudrow, 57, who portrays a political spokesperson in the mockumentary
Oops: Samuel L. Jackson, 72, bemoans the prospect of being in the trailer’s intro – which he is
The trailer ends in hilarious style with Leslie Jones, 53, stating of 2020: ‘I’d say it was a trainwreck and a s**t show, but that would be unfair to trains and s**t.’
Tracy Ullman, 60, is also seen in the trailer for the film portraying Queen Elizabeth II.
Also appearing in the special, which examines the events of the year from a humorous perspective, are Samson Kayo, Joe Keery, Cristin Milioti, Diane Morgan, and Kumail Nanjiani.
‘2020: A year so [insert adjective of choice here], even the creators of Black Mirror couldn’t make it up… but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a little something to add,’ Netflix said in a statement previewing the upcoming special.
One is amused: Tracy Ullman, 60, is seen in the trailer for the film portraying Queen Elizabeth II
Over it: The trailer ends in hilarious style with Leslie Jones, 53, stating of 2020, ‘I’d say it was a trainwreck and a s**t show, but that would be unfair to trains and s**t’
‘Death To 2020 is a comedy event that tells the story of the dreadful year that was – and perhaps still is?’ the streamer continued.
‘This landmark documentary-style special weaves together some of the world’s most (fictitious) renowned voices with real-life archival footage spanning the past 12 months.’
Earlier this month, Hugh spoke with New York magazine about his work on the project: ‘I’m doing a thing tomorrow, actually.
‘Charlie Brooker has written a mockumentary about 2020. It’s for Netflix, and I am a historian who’s being interviewed about the year. I’m pretty repellent, actually! And you’ll like my wig.’
Coming soon: Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker announced the mockumentary this month
Brooker earlier this year chat with the New York Times about the challenge of creating content in the coronavirus era.
‘If you look at the film Dr. Strangelove, which was made in 1964, a period of time where nuclear extinction looked like a real possibility, that’s the darkest of satire, depicting an unfolding dystopia that people were in. So I don’t know that there isn’t an appetite for that sort of thing,’ he said.
He continued: ‘In a way, lots of comedy shows are dystopian because it’s a humor in which the worst thing is constantly happening, even on the small scale, even if it’s like, “Oh no, I hope my housemates don’t walk in and catch me doing this embarrassing thing.”
‘Sure enough, they will. It must be a way of your brain expressing itself in some way and obviously in the midst of all this, there are a lot of worried brains around.’
Death To 2020 is set to be released on December 27th on Netflix.
Looking back: The special examines the events of the year from a humorous perspective
Dreadful year: ‘Death To 2020 is a comedy event that tells the story of the dreadful year that was – and perhaps still is?’ the streamer said
Castmembers: Samson Kayo, Joe Keery, Cristin Milioti, Diane Morgan and Kumail Nanjiani also appear in the special