Turning Squid Game, Netflix's massively successful South Korean survival series, into a reality show may sound like a dubious idea but well, it's officially happening. And today, the streaming giant dropped the official full trailer, giving viewers a glimpse at the challenges contestants will be participating in.
Make friends. Make enemies. Make millions.
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) October 23, 2023
Squid Game: The Challenge, the competition series based on our biggest show ever, premieres 22 November. pic.twitter.com/GixDkF2gsJ
Like the scripted series that inspired it, Squid Game: The Challenge will have 456 players competing against each other for a lump sum cash prize of $4.56 million. To make it really feel like Squid Game, players wear the same green sweatsuits and white shoes and will play a series of games to remain the last standing player.
The games shown off in the trailer should be pretty familiar for those who watched the show, featuring the famous Red Light, Green Light from the first episode, and players crossing a two-panel-wide bridge. Mind you, these games aren't lethal; for example, we see during the Red Light, Green Light game that those caught moving were shot with some black paint-like substance, signifying their elimination.
Perhaps even more interesting, though, is the fact that the reality show won't just be putting new spins on games we've already seen. We get a brief look in the new trailer of what seems to be a human-sized battleship game of sorts that was not in the original series.
Despite not having the deadly stakes of the actual Squid Game, reports of the reality show's alleged unsafe filming environments surfaced earlier this year. Some contestants called the production an "inhumane disaster," and others required medical attention due to injuries sustained while.
Netflix previously confirmed the series will premiere on Nov. 22. With another season of the fictional show currently in the works, hopefully, the reality spinoff series will help tide fans over.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
