‘Squid Game’ Reality Series Premieres on Netflix in November
Netflix has released a teaser trailer for Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality competition series that will debut in November. While the clip doesn’t provide many details about the show’s format, it’s clear that Netflix is striving to replicate the original production’s ambiance, complete with a massive “red light, green light” doll, albeit without the violence.
The 10-episode series features 456 people competing in events both inspired by Squid Game and new to the show. The winner will receive a grand prize of $4.56 million, so they have a strong incentive to stick around until the end. Netflix filmed the series earlier this year.
There’s no mystery behind The Challenge’s existence: it’s a bid to capitalize on the success of Squid Game. The Korean drama remains Netflix’s most popular TV show of all time, with more than 1.6 billion hours watched in June (even Stranger Things season 4 has “slightly” more than 1.3 billion). Given that Netflix likes spinoffs of popular shows, it could only be a matter of time before the company built demand for its most popular series.
There isn’t as much pressure to release Squid Game: The Challenge as there was when it was announced in 2022, when Netflix was dealing with rare subscriber losses. The company is in a stronger position as of mid-2023 — it added nearly 1.8 million subscribers in the first quarter and appears to be reaping the rewards of cracking down on password sharing. However, the company still faces stiff competition from rivals such as Amazon, Disney and Paramount, and a series like this could be key to boosting viewership alongside expected blockbusters such as 3 Body Problem and the next seasons of Bridgerton and The Witcher.
