Unlike the series where the stakes are life or death, the
worst possible fate in this 456 player competition will be leaving without the
$4.56 million winnings, which Netflix claims is the largest lump sum prize in
reality TV history.
'Squid Game' became Netflix's most-watched series when it
was released in September 2021 as it told the story of cash-strapped
contestants who play childhood games for a chance to win life-changing sums of
money.
The first season holds the record as Netflix's most popular
series of all time, with over 1.65 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days,
the company said.
The 10-episode reality competition will include games
inspired by the original show, as well as new additions, Netflix said.
One of YouTube's top U.S. creators, MrBeast, did an
unofficial iteration of this idea by recreating aspects of the South Korean
drama's set and hosting games featured in the show, like 'Red Light, Green
Light'. The YouTuber also opted out of the killing aspect but strapped a device
to all 456 players that mimicked a bullet shot when a player was ruled out.
Netflix's reality show will be filmed in the UK and is
currently only casting English speakers. The announcement comes just days after
the scripted series was renewed for a second season.