Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’, a series about people risking their lives and sometimes killing one another on television in order to pay off their crippling debts, is becoming an actual game show.
The streamer shared its plans to expand the Battle Royale-Esque franchise with a real-world game show inspired by the fictional competition at the center of the original series.
Like ‘Squid Game’, ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ will pit 456 players from across the globe against one another as they fight for a $4.56 million prize that only one participant can ultimately claim.
Though Netflix has released a promotional video featuring scenes from the fictional ‘Squid Game’, it has not yet specified what sorts of obstacles ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ will throw at contestants.
In a public statement about the new game show, Netflix Vice President, Brandon Riegg sang ‘Squid Game’ creator Hwang Dong-hyuk’s praises and cited the series’ worldwide success as one of the reasons behind Netflix’s decision to turn it into a show the public can participate in.
“We’re grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment. Fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real-world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end”.
Brandon Riegg
While the original ‘Squid Game’ is a Korean series, Netflix is searching specifically for English speakers from anywhere in the world for the new show, per the official recruitment website.
‘Squid Game’ Season two to be released
Meanwhile, Netflix recently announced that ‘Squid Game’ will return for a second season. According to a message from director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the second season will see the return of Gi-hun and the mysterious Front Man.
The note also states that “the man in the suit with Ddakji might be back,” and that there will be an introduction of Cheol-su, Young-hee’s boyfriend.
“It took 12 years to bring the first season of ‘Squid Game’ to life last year. But it took 12 days for ‘Squid Game’ to become the most popular Netflix series ever. As the writer, director, and producer of ‘Squid Game’, a huge shout out to fans around the world. Thank you for watching and loving our show… Join us once more for a whole new round”.
Hwang Dong-hyuk
The renewal occurs despite the shift in Netflix’s fortunes since the show originally debuted. While Squid Game has been a massive worldwide hit, in April Netflix reported its first drop in subscribers in 10 years. That was quickly followed by layoffs and a reported tightening of production budgets practically across the board.
The survival drama is the most-watched international show on Netflix. The visuals, the costumes, and the theme turned ‘Squid Game’ into a $900 million show and 1.6 billion viewing hours since its premiere in September 2021.
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