In news that is both surprising and also not surprising at all, Netflix is expanding the scope of the Squid Game franchise with a competition series. While the world’s largest streaming service (probably) isn’t going to actually kill anyone for the sake of programming, Squid Game: The Challenge was announced at Banff World Media Festival on Tuesday, as per The Hollywood Reporter. We even have a little teaser trailer for the show.
So, as we can see, this is more about capturing a vibe rather than giving us actual information about the show. But what we know for sure is that 456 players will be competing for $4.56 million, which Netflix says is the biggest cash prize in TV history. Brandon Riegg, Netflix VP of unscripted and documentary series, had this to say about it:
“Squid Game took the world by storm with [director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s] captivating story and iconic imagery. 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.”
The show’s first season will consist of ten episodes, meaning we can expect a whole lot of eliminations per episode, at least in the early going. There is no word yet on a release window, but a website at the end of the teaser, SquidGameCasting.com, offers fans a chance to get in on the action. The submission form offers a bit of context as well, stating the following:
“You’ve seen the drama, now it’s your chance to take part in Netflix’s biggest ever social experiment! This supersized unscripted show turns the scripted world of the drama into reality. Real-life players will be immersed in the iconic Squid Game universe and will never know what’s coming next. Here they’ll compete in a series of heart-stopping games in order to become the sole survivor* and walk away with a life-changing cash prize. With a fortune up for grabs, who will be an ally, who will you trust, and who will you betray in this ultimate test of character?”
On the one hand, it is not at all hard to see how Netflix arrived at this idea. Squid Game became the single biggest show in the company’s history, and they recently confirmed that a second season is on the way. Given that the series itself centers on a twisted game, it made some sense to bring that game to life. Though many on social media were quick to point out that Netflix crafting a competition show based on this concept is a bit ass-backward.
2022: Netflix is doing Squid Game for real!
2024: Netflix has announced a real-life Hunger Games!
2029: Netflix has adapted Soylent Green into a real world product. You are food now, Netflix has turned you into food. https://t.co/okUXkJUmNA
— Elijah ‘Defund The Police’ Taylor (@elijah_pizza) June 14, 2022
But it is almost guaranteed to be a hit and, even with that big cash prize, probably won’t be all that expensive to produce relative to the ratings it will likely deliver.
Squid Game: The Competition does not have a release date set.
