Black Mirror

Keyworth Pictures invites you to Hotel Reverie.

Renowned Dr. Alex Palmer

encounters tragic heiress Clara Ryce.

Waiter, another scotch, please.

- And for yourself? - Thank you. A Black Rose.

A rose for a rose.

A piano standing silent always makes me so melancholy.

It's silly, I know.

If it's "Clair de Lune" you want, it's "Clair de Lune" you shall have.

Yet, even as their affection grows,

the pair are unaware

Clara's fiendish husband, Claude, is plotting her death.

My accursed wife has more lives than a damn cat.

She dies tonight.

Don't move.

Oh my goodness!

Your studio, Keyworth Pictures, has the most incredible back catalog.

Noir thrillers,

wartime romances, caper comedies.

An unrivaled collection of heritage media.

By "heritage," you mean old.

I mean, uh, vintage.

You have a great reputation.

Fifty years ago, yes.

Look, I know you're trying to blow smoke up my arse,

but let's be real.

My stages are empty. We're up to our knockers in debt.

I was in Cannes last week

trying to sell our library to some streamers, and they were NFI.

NFI? That's a non-fungible...

Not fucking interested.

The Keyworth brand is not what it was.

We're going under, and everybody knows it.

Well, I believe with your prestige content--

Please don't call it content. Makes me heave.

Okay. Okay.

I'm... I'm sorry.

Prestige movies.

Dreams. Classics.

Like Hotel Reverie.

"I'll be yours forevermore."

My father's favorite.

And mine.

But try telling that to the public.

- I think you'll find them-- - NFI.

Well, you know,

what's the point of watching an old movie starring Ralph Redwell

when you could watch a new movie starring Ryan Gosling or Ryan...

Reynolds?

Yeah. But they're way out of my price league.

Well, what if I told you

my company has an affordable way

to take a shuttered classic, like Hotel Reverie,

and almost instantly recast the lead with a contemporary Hollywood star?

- We can't-- - Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Who you will be able to afford

because you'll only need 96 minutes of their time.

You're gonna use one of those AI paint boxes

and deepfake Ryan over Ralph--

What we're proposing isn't fake.

It's real.

Oh, you've intrigued me.

So which Ryan are we calling first?

Hey, Brandy.

Listen, the studio are chasing.

I'm telling you, I just love this project for you right now.

We all do.

And, hey, the money is off the chart.

Call me when you get a chance. Bye now. Bye-bye.

No.

Whoa now. Did you read the material? Lola's in almost every scene.

- It's a big role. - It's a big supporting role.

Backing up Mr. "Lead Dude" again.

Hey.

You get lead roles.

Yeah, for Sundance misery porn.

You don't want those roles anymore either?

I'm saying I'm tired of my only available options

being noble victim or fuckable sidekick.

I can't control which box the world wants to put you in.

It's the same box, and I'm sick of it.

You know I got into this to be other things.

To express other things.

Like what?

Like something romantic.

This is romantic.

For the lead guy. I don't wanna be pursued.

Why can't I pursue?

Huh?

I just want something... magical.

Timeless. Something

I can escape into.

Are you talking career or personal life?

Both.

Where's my Casablanca ?

Where's... where's... where's my Brief Encounter ?

Come on! British romance. 1940s. Classic.

Like Hotel Reverie ?

Yes! Hotel Reverie.

"I'll be yours forevermore."

Is that where that line comes from?

The iconic final line? Yeah.

Hey, I knew the line, not the movie.

Weird thing is, this is the second time this has come up this morning.

- What do you mean? - The studio. Uh, Keyworth... something.

- They're doing some kind of reboot. - They're remaking Hotel Reverie ?

Yeah, with a high-tech shooting style. They want an A-lister for the male lead.

- To play Alex? Dr. Palmer? I wanna do it. - Yeah.

It's a male lead.

So they... they can't flip it? Have a woman play the lead?

They want a Ryan. One of the Ryans.

Tell them I wanna do this.

- So I'm afraid Ryan's a "no." - Which one?

Both of them.

Sorry, did you say that they don't have to talk British? They... they can be American?

Didn't get that far.

Also, Timothée Chalamet is unavail.

Chris Hemsworth didn't connect with the material.

Donald Glover says thanks for thinking of him,

but he has a family commitment.

- So they're all NFI? - Sorry?

Is there really not one A-lister who's curious?

Well, you won't believe this,

but Brandy Friday's team says she's interested.

Holy shit! Brandy Friday?

She big?

She's... she's huge. She... she's available?

I tried to explain it's not the Clara role, but...

Well, could we make it the Clara role?

That's the thing.

They said she's only interested if she plays the lead.

- Well, that's just... - Brilliant.

Ready.

Should I just pretend it's a normal call?

- Yes. - Right.

Here we go.

I realize I'm... I'm waiting for it to ring, but it's not connected, is it?

No.

God, I'm such a fool.

Right, I'll imagine it's ringing.

Hello, Ryce-Lechere residence.

To whom am I speaking?

I...

Oh, God damn it.

Well, it's just so hard when there's no one on the other end.

Uh, from the top.

Take two.

Hello, Ryce-Lechere residence.

To whom am I--

Buckinghamshire, England.

And an outpouring of grief

as actress Dorothy Chambers is found dead at home.

The cause of death, an overdose of sleeping pills.

The reclusive beauty never married

and was well known to be troubled by pernicious gossip

surrounding her personal life.

- Oh, hi. - Hey.

- This is for you. - Thank you.

- It needs a signature just here. - Oh, sure.

Sorry, I shouldn't, but

I really loved that movie you were in about the secret CIA agent.

- Thank you. - He was so good.

- Thank you. - Are you still with that actor--

Uh, no, we're not together anymore.

Oh, he was so good in that movie about the pilot that saves the...

- I've got to take this. - Okay.

Don't let the gate hit you.

Hey.

Great news. You got it.

Got what?

The lead in Hotel Reverie. I guess they're gonna flip it.

- Yes! - Okay, so look.

It's a straight offer, so they're sending the materials to you.

Oh, yeah, I think I just got those.

They say they're gonna need you in the studio next Monday.

- That's in England. - Wait. They start filming next Monday?

Uh, no, they say no. It's some kind of test.

Who's playing Clara?

Seems confidential. It's all laid out

in that info pack.

Pepe from Streamberry is here.

- Thank you. - Wait.

Laid out where?

Yeah, oh, congratulations again. Okay, look, I gotta go. Bye, bye, bye.

Okay, thanks.

Drop your weapon.

Shoot him. He's trying to kill me.

Wait. I know that man.

He diagnosed my allergy.

Arrest the other man.

Non!

Non! Laissez-moi.

Mais laissez-moi.

Stay with me.

Promise me you'll stay.

I'll be yours... forevermore.