Philomena Cunk, the deadpan investigative character, will interview Hollywood heavyweights Michael Bay and Benedict Cumberbatch in the upcoming Netflix series “Cunk On Cinema”.
The character, portrayed by Diane Morgan, first appeared as a segment on Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe before starring in the mockumentary series Cunk On Britain (2018), Cunk On Earth (2022) and Cunk On Life (2024). She satirizes overly serious documentarians by posing comically ill‑informed questions to unsuspecting experts.
Now she will turn her deadpan focus to the world of movies in Cunk On Cinema.
A co‑production between the BBC and Netflix, the synopsis reads: “The three‑part series will uncover the invention of the camera, to the New Wave filmmakers of the 60s, right up to the entrance of CGI and what the future of AI holds. 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?”
Philomena Cunk will return in Cunk On Cinema – a new series asking: Where did cinema come from? And why? What does it want? And why can’t it tell us?
Featuring cinematic experts like Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Pemberton, Michael Bay, Steven E. de Souza and more. pic.twitter.com/xZIQIEK5e3
— Netflix (@netflix) September 14, 2026
The show will feature Marvel and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, action director Michael Bay, Die Hard writer Steven E. de Souza, and Project Hail Mary composer Daniel Pemberton, among others.
Consisting of three 30‑minute episodes, the series is yet to announce an air date. It features an extensive writing team led by Brooker and Morgan, who both serve as executive producers.
In a 2018 interview with NME, Morgan explained the secret behind the character’s success: “Staying in character isn’t difficult for me. I enjoy being Philomena and actually feel more comfy as her than me because she’s totally bulletproof. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her.”