People wear "Squid Game" on Halloween 2021 in Hong Kong. Photo: Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images
Casting for a new reality show based on Netflix's "Squid Game" is underway.
Why it matters: Netflix is hoping to strike gold (many times) with "Squid Game" — its most-watched original series — amid slowing growth on its platform.
- The company over the weekend also confirmed the second season of the thriller.
Details: 456 players will compete for a $4.56 million cash prize in a reality show dubbed "Squid Game: The Challenge," Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s head of global TV, announced today at an industry festival.
- Challenges in the competition show will be largely inspired by the ones in the first season (presumably minus the life or death elimination rounds), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
- Anyone who can speak and understand English from any country can try their luck for a spot on reality series, which is expected to have 10 episodes.
Our thought bubble: From video games to YouTubers like MrBeast, there are plenty of people and companies riding the show's hype, so it's smart for Netflix to put on a production that will be hard to match.