Charlie Brooker’s New Netflix Mockumentary: Cunk on Cinema

Cunk on Cinema, a six-part mockumentary starring Diane Morgan as her character Philomena Cunk, will debut on November 15, according to Netflix and the BBC. The series, created by Charlie Brooker, features Morgan’s character interviewing 23 Hollywood experts, including directors, actors, and film critics, as she asks absurd and deadpan questions about the history and future of cinema. The show’s premise, as described in a Netflix synopsis, involves Cunk “demystifying” film while sitting in “lumpy seats with stale popcorn,” asking “where did cinema come from? And why? What does it want? And why can’t it tell us?”

The series, directed by Al Campbell, will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two in the U.K. and Ireland, with Netflix streaming it globally. It covers cinema’s evolution from the invention of the movie camera to the rise of AI in filmmaking. In the trailer, Cunk questions actors like Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Bay, including a notable exchange where she asks Cumberbatch, “When you’re trying to get inside a character, which hole do you enter by, north or south?” The trailer also highlights interviews with composers, filmmakers, and critics such as Daniel Pemberton, Mark Cousins, and Mark Kermode.

Cunk on Cinema debuts November 15

Cunk on Cinema will debut on November 15, with six 15-minute episodes. The series is a Pacesetter Production for the BBC, co-produced by Netflix outside the U.K. and Ireland. It is described as “Cunk’s most glamorous outing yet,” and spans the history of cinema from the 1960s New Wave to CGI and AI.

Interviews with Hollywood Figures

Morgan’s character engages with 23 industry experts, including Michael Bay, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daniel Pemberton. The show’s interviews are framed as comedic explorations of film history, with Cunk’s “ill-informed questions” serving as the central humor. The trailer also features Jim Al-Khalili and Ashley Jackson, who previously collaborated on “Cunk on Life” and “Cunk on Earth.”

In the trailer, Cunk interviews Steven E. de Souza, a screenwriter known for works like Die Hard, as well as composer Daniel Pemberton. The show’s official description emphasizes its satirical approach, with Cunk “attempting to demystify” cinema through her unique perspective.

Cunk on Cinema. (L to R) Diane Morgan as Philomena Cunk in Cunk on Cinema. Cr. Matt Kennedy/Netflix © 2026
Photo: Variety

Al Campbell directs satirical cinema series

The series is directed by Al Campbell and executive produced by Charlie Brooker, Diane Morgan, Jessica Rhoades, and Sam Ward. It includes contributions from writers such as Ben Caudell, Erika Ehler, and Joel Morris. The show’s official description emphasizes its satirical approach, with Cunk “attempting to demystify” cinema through her unique perspective.

The series also features Jim Al-Khalili and Ashley Jackson, who previously collaborated on “Cunk on Life” and “Cunk on Earth,” as noted in Source 2. The show’s trailer includes a voice-over by Philomena Cunk, who declares, “Humankind has been responsible for some incredible achievements,” before asserting that cinema is “the greatest of them all,” as reported in Source 3.

Cunk will attempt to demystify it all while sitting in lumpy seats with stale popcorn, asking herself where did cinema come from? And why? What does it want? And why can’t it tell us? — Netflix synopsis