Netflix Brings Squid Game to Life With Dystopian Competition Series

Netflix is turning dystopian drama Squid Game into a reality with new competition series Squid Game: The Challenge.

The new, 10-episode reality competition will see 456 real players face off in pursuit of $4.56 million — making this the largest cast and lump sum cash prize in reality TV history, according to Netflix. Players will compete in a series of games inspired by the original show, with some new additions.

Netflix is currently recruiting English-language contestants from anywhere in the world on SquidGameCasting.com.

"Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang's captivating story and iconic imagery," said Brandon Riegg, Netflix VP 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."

Squid Game Season 1 tells the story of a deadly survival game involving 456 desperate contestants competing in multiple rounds of deadly childhood games to win $45.6 billion. On Sunday, the series was renewed for Season 2, which will feature returning characters Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), plus newcomers including Young-hee's boyfriend, Cheol-su.

Squid Game Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Deena ElGenaidi's writing has been featured in Nylon, MTV News, Insider, The AV Club, and more. You can follow her on Twitter @deenaelg.