Netflix is turning Squid Game into a reality competition series.
Released in September 2021, the South Korean drama centers on a bunch of cash-strapped individuals – including divorced gambling addict Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) – who agree to take part in an invitation-only contest in the hopes of winning an eye-watering amount of money. Inspired by classic children's games, each round in the gameshow proves deadlier than the last, and whoever's left alive at the end pockets the cash.
It seems safe to assume that the new show's stakes won't be quite so high but the prize will be just as big: $4.56 million. The streaming service's Head of Global TV announced the news on Tuesday, June 14, and stated that the casting of the competition's 456 contestants has already begun. Any English-language speakers are allowed to put themselves forward, no matter where they are based in the world, though the ten-episode series will be filmed in the UK.
"Squid Game took the world by storm with director Hwang'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," said Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of unscripted and documentary Series. "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."
While it was already common knowledge that another instalment of Squid Game was on the way, what with creator Hwang Dong-hyuk having previously talked about his plans to release season 2 before the end of 2024, Netflix recently confirmed more episodes are on the way.
Squid Game season 1 is available to stream now. While we wait for new episodes, check out our list of best Netflix shows to watch right now.
