Netflix is turning Squid Game, its dystopian drama about indebted prisoners being forced to play children’s games at the risk of death, into an actual reality show. Because why not?
Netflix announced today that it’s casting 456 real players in Squid Game: The Challenge, a new reality show in which contestants will play games for a hefty $4.56 million prize — one of the largest in game show history. The competition will feature a series of challenges inspired by the original show as well as “surprising new additions,” encouraging players to form alliances and deploy unique strategies in order to win.
Netflix, of course, is careful to mention that in Squid Game: The Challenge “the worst fate is going home empty-handed.”
https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1536766843641335808?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwSquid Game: The Challenge is currently recruiting players at SquadGameCasting.com, with English-language speakers from any part of the world being invited to apply. The series will last 10 episodes.
The reality show news is part of a spate of recent Squid Game announcements, including confirmation that the series will indeed be returning for a second season. Originally released in 2021, Squid Game exploded into one of Netflix’s biggest hits ever, with our review praising it as “one of the most unique things you’ll watch this year — and maybe ever.”
It’s been so big that Squid Game creator Dong-hyuk Hwang is reportedly working on a satire about its overnight success titled “The Best Show on the Planet.”
One way or another, Squid Game continues to be huge, and pretty soon 456 lucky (or unlucky) contestants will get to see what it’s like to play the game for themselves.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.