Ready for The Challenge? Netflix announced that Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality competition series based on the popular South Korean show Squid Game, will be released this autumn.
Making Squid Game very real
Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of unscripted and documentary series, revealed during the upfront presentation that the 10-episode Challenge will premiere in November. Last June, Netflix officially greenlit the series, boasting a record-breaking prize of $4.56 million—the largest cash reward ever seen in reality TV.
“Our most ambitious competition series ever, Squid Game: The Challenge, will also make its debut later this year. With 456 real players vying for the colossal prize of $4.56 million, this show holds the distinction of offering the biggest lump sum cash prize in reality television history,” Riegg enthusiastically shared during the presentation.
According to Netflix, this competition series will test players with a range of games inspired by the original show, along with exciting new elements that will push them to their limits. Strategy, alliances, and character will play pivotal roles in surviving the intense challenges. The stakes are high, but fortunately, in this game, the worst outcome is going home empty-handed.
What about Season 2?
Director Hwang [Dong-hyuk]’s gripping narrative and iconic visuals propelled Squid Game to become a worldwide phenomenon,” Riegg expressed when introducing The Challenge last summer. “We appreciate his support as we transform the fictional world into reality through this colossal competition and social experiment.”
Starring Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-jun, Oh Young-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, Heo Sung-tae, Kim Joo-ryoung, Tripathi Anupam, You Seong-joo, and Lee You-mi, Squid Game follows the journey of numerous financially struggling individuals who accept a peculiar invitation to participate in children’s games. Inside, they encounter a tantalizing prize, but the stakes are perilously high. In addition to The Challenge, Netflix revealed last year that the development of Squid Game season 2 is underway, with a projected release date in late 2024.
“There is definitely immense pressure to make [Season 2] even more exceptional,” executive producer Kim Ji-yeon shared with Netflix’s Tudum, discussing the highly anticipated second season of this dystopian K-drama. “We acknowledge the immense enjoyment that the series has brought to various fans and audiences, but our focus lies in elevating the joy for the global audience.”
Squid Game: The Challenge will be available for streaming on Netflix in November 2023. An exact premiere date will be announced later.
