Squid Game reality show needs 456 contestants to fight over $4.56 million cash prize

Netflix announced a reality TV show inspired by its smash-hit Squid Game on Tuesday.

The streaming giant announced Squid Game: The Challenge at the Banff World Media Festival in Canada, saying the 10-episode project will feature 456 players competing in a series of childhood-inspired games as in the show, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

“Squid Game took the world by storm with [director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s] captivating story and iconic imagery,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix vice president of unscripted and documentary series.

“We’re grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment. 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.”

The $4.56 million prize is the largest lump-sum cash prize in TV history, Netflix claims. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Fox’s X Factor has previously given out recording contracts worth $5 milliion.

The announcement and teaser trailer come just days after Netflix announced that Squid Game had been renewed for another season.

Hwang said that he “loved” a 25-minute unofficial Squid Game competition by YouTuber Mr. Beast, which has received more than 250 million views since its release in Nov. 2021.

Reaction to the upcoming game show has been mixed. Vanity Fair and other outlets wrote that a Squid Game reality series “misses the point of Squid Game.”

Casting for Squid Game: The Challenge is now open to any “English-language speakers from any part of the world.

“Do you have what it takes to win Squid Game?” asks the casting site.