Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future is a 1985 cyberpunk television film created by British company Chrysalis Visual Programming Ltd. for Channel 4. Max Headroom was created by George Stone, Annabel Jankel, and Rocky Morton, while the TV movie story was developed by Stone and screenwriter Steve Roberts. The television film was created to provide a backstory and origin for the character Max before he started appearing regularly as host and veejay of a new music video programme on Channel 4, The Max Headroom Show.
The story depicts a near-future where corrupt corporations control much of the world and manipulate the public for the sake of ratings and wealth. Events lead crusading journalist Edison Carter to crash a motorcycle and suffer head trauma from a parking lot safety sign reading "MAX. HEADROOM: 2.3 M" (an overhead clearance of 2.3 metres). While unconscious, Carter's mind and memories are used as the basis for a new artificial intelligence that adopts the name Max Headroom. While Carter recovers and exposes corporate corruption, his AI twin Max becomes popular as a witty TV host who criticizes society and media. Both Edison Carter and Max Headroom are portrayed by actor Matt Frewer.
On 4 April 1985, Channel 4 transmitted the TV movie Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future, starring Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, Paul Spurrier, Nickolas Grace, and W. Morgan Sheppard. Two days later, Max began appearing regularly as the veejay of The Max Headroom Show. HBO (which owned another cable television provider Cinemax) provided some of the original funding and the series later ran on Cinemax for American audiences. Following its cancellation, American network ABC commissioned Chrysalis to produce a new dramatic television series based on the characters, concepts, and world established in the film Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future. The new programme, entitled simply Max Headroom, featured Matt Frewer and Amanda Pays reprising their original roles. Each episode began with the phrase "20 Minutes into the Future."
Plot
Edison Carter (Matt Frewer) is a headstrong television reporter determined to uncover corruption even if his employer Network 23 is involved. Carter is investigating an apartment explosion when he is pulled from the story by the television station management. Carter's new producer Theora Jones (Amanda Pays) agrees to help him investigate further despite pressure from upper management. The two discover Network 23 is covering up the fact that its new subliminal advertising (called "blipverts") can be fatal to certain viewers, even causing them to explode.
Carter recovers evidence of the cover-up at Network 23 headquarters but is discovered on security camera by Bryce Lynch (Paul Spurrier), an amoral teenage computer genius who created blipverts and answers only to Network 23's chief executive Mr. Grossman. As Carter attempts to flee from Mr. Breughel and Mr. Mahler two sociopathic thugs via the building's parking garage on a motorcycle, Lynch takes control of the security barriers. The rising barrier causes Carter to crash through a low-clearance sign labelled "Max. Headroom 2.3m", resulting in a serious head injury. Jones witnesses Carter's crash via security cameras but is unable to arrive in time before Lynch's hired goons remove him from the scene.
Grossman is upset Lynch has attacked and possibly killed Carter, as the journalist's fame means his disappearance will be noticed and investigated. To delay any investigation and provide alibis, Lynch insists he can digitally copy Carter's mind and appearance. This way they can create a digital replacement and fake footage of the reporter being alive and well for days to come. But his efforts are flawed. The digital clone does not look identical to Carter and seems to develop its own personality after repeatedly saying "max headroom." Giving up on the plan, Bryce instructs Breughel and Mahler to dispose of both Carter and the "Max Headroom" digital personality. Instead, they decide to profit by selling Max Headroom to Blank Reg, the presenter of "Big Time" a pirate television station, and Carter to a "body bank" where he will be harvested for organs.
After some guidance from Reg, Max Headroom quickly becomes a popular TV host on Blank Reg’s pirate station, delivering biting commentary and rapid-fire humor, particularly about Network 23, which gets the uneasy attention of a now panicked Grossman. Meanwhile, recovering from his injuries, Carter escapes the body bank and reunites with Jones. With her help, and the help of Breughel and Mahler, Carter eventually reveals he is still alive and exposes the corruption of Network 23, Lynch and Grossman. Max Headroom remains with Big Time.