Netflix's smash-hit a fictional South Korean series in which contestants compete in a series of schoolyard games that will kill them if they lose, all for a few billion won, is bleak, dystopian and searingly political.
So naturally, the streamer is turning the series -- known for starring a ginormous laser-eyed killer doll -- into a reality show.
Enter "Squid Game: The Challenge," a new reality competition series apparently based on the original series, which became Netflix's of all time upon its release in late 2021. The platform announced casting for the new series on Tuesday in a vague promo with appearances from the aforementioned "Red Light, Green Light" doll and a slew of masked guards who carry out killings.
"Squid Game: The Challenge" is set to offer the largest cash prize in reality TV history -- US$4.56 million -- to one of its 456 competitors (the largest cast in reality TV history), the streamer said in a statement.
The original became an international phenomenon for its as much as its arresting visuals and entertaining conceit. "Squid Game" sends up the wealthy ruling class and the harm they inflict upon the low-income and marginalized members of their society (though the low-income competitors are often corrupted by the lure of wealth). In the fictional show's competition, the poor are literally disposable -- they're killed if they lose a game, and they continue to get picked off as they vie for a life-changing sum, all to the amusement of the game's rich creators.
hasn't announced how they plan to adapt the game in which a giant doll fatally zaps people or masked guards fatally shoot competitors in the head if they fail to carve a honeycomb candy correctly, but it's safe to assume there will be no murder.
The for brave, self-punishing souls interested in competing in harrowing games. And though the original show was created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk and primarily starred Korean actors who spoke Korean throughout, Netflix's new "Squid Game" is seeking "English-language speakers from any part of the world."
Fans of the original "Squid Game" who'd prefer not to compete in the game themselves got good news this week, too: for a second season.
A Los Angeles prosecutor said on Thursday he is asking the court to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez after they have spent 34 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, after new evidence emerged indicating they were sexually abused by their father for years.
The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.
The federal government is slashing immigration targets to levels that will flatten population growth as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admits the government did not get the balance right after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough on Thursday.
Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.
A new lawsuit alleges Vince McMahon knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a WWE employee in the 1980s.
Voting officials say recounts in two ridings that could determine the outcome of British Columbia's election won't start until Sunday afternoon.
The Ottawa Police Service has identified the woman who was stabbed to death at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive Thursday morning.
Diverse firefly species lit up the night during the late Mesozoic period, scientists have confirmed.
U.S. authorities earlier this year knew the whereabouts of a former Canadian Olympian who is now on the run for allegedly running a transnational drug trafficking ring and orchestrating murders in Ontario, according to Ontario court documents.
The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.
Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough on Thursday.
Voting officials say recounts in two ridings that could determine the outcome of British Columbia's election won't start until Sunday afternoon.
The Saskatchewan RCMP is calling off its dangerous persons alert after two people were arrested in the Tobin Lake area Thursday afternoon.
A former Lakeshore man is facing a 10-year prison sentence after he was found guilty on drug charges.
A Los Angeles prosecutor said on Thursday he is asking the court to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez after they have spent 34 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, after new evidence emerged indicating they were sexually abused by their father for years.
An Israeli strike on a school where displaced people were sheltering in the central Gaza Strip killed at least 17 people on Thursday, nearly all women and children, Palestinian medical officials said.
Donald Trump said Thursday that if he wins the White House, he will fire special counsel Jack Smith 'within two seconds' of taking office.
Colorado funeral home owners accused of misspending nearly US$900,000 in pandemic relief funds and living lavishly, all while allegedly storing 190 decaying bodies in a building and sending grieving families fake ashes, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal fraud charges for defrauding customers.
Elon Musk's super PAC didn't announce a winner for its "daily" $1 million giveaway to registered swing state voters on Wednesday, the same day news broke that the Justice Department warned Musk’s group that its sweepstakes might be illegal.
Widespread flooding and landslides set off by a tropical storm in the northeastern Philippines on Thursday left at least 24 people dead, swept away cars and prompted authorities to scramble for motorboats to rescue trapped villagers, some on roofs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is digging in, saying 'yes,' he's staying on as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. His assertion comes less than 24 hours after telling his MPs that he'd reflect on his future in the face of a deadline imposed by defectors in his caucus, and that’s left some feeling 'disappointed.'
Participants in a federal public inquiry are calling on Ottawa to take bolder action against foreign interference by making effective use of legal tools, closing loopholes and fostering public education.
The federal government is slashing immigration targets to levels that will flatten population growth as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admits the government did not get the balance right after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quebec's health department says it will be ready to meet the expected demand for advanced applications for medical assistance in dying when it begins accepting those requests next week.
A Colorado man has filed the first lawsuit against McDonald’s relating to its E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounders that, so far, has led to at least 49 illnesses across 10 states, including one death.
Radon is a radioactive gas found in nearly every Canadian home. A new research study is putting a renewed spotlight on the invisible, odourless element that is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in Canada.
London Ont. born astronaut and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen spoke with thousands of high school students across the country today about the upcoming Artemis II mission.
Diverse firefly species lit up the night during the late Mesozoic period, scientists have confirmed.
European scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm capable of interpreting pig sounds, aiming to create a tool that can help farmers improve animal welfare.
A new organization that aims to help people struggling with addiction officially launched in Ottawa Thursday, named after the late Matthew Perry.
Argentina's police raided the Buenos Aires hotel where ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne stayed before dying last week after falling from a third-floor balcony, a government official said Thursday.
A new lawsuit alleges Vince McMahon knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a WWE employee in the 1980s.
Boeing factory workers voted against the company’s latest contract offer and remain on the picket lines six weeks into a strike that has stopped production of the aerospace giant’s bestselling jetliners.
Rogers Communications Inc. is selling a minority stake in a portion of its wireless network infrastructure for $7 billion amid a 'pivot' in strategy as it seeks to pay down debt.
Shake Shack has announced plans to open two more Toronto locations in the coming months.
A Toronto man who only recently checked a Lotto 6/49 lottery ticket he bought back in June is now $2.5 million richer.
Within a year of dating, 31-year-old Siara Rouzer crossed a major relationship milestone. The guy she was seeing was no longer a boyfriend but her partner.
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
The Vegas Golden Knights made defenceman Shea Theodore their highest-paid player Thursday, signing him to a seven-year contract worth an average of US$7.425 million per year.
Chris Boucher was back, for at least one game. The veteran forward spent most of last season at the far end of the Toronto Raptors' bench, rarely seeing playing time.
An 18-year-old has filed a lawsuit over the ownership of the ball Shohei Ohtani made baseball history with when he became the inaugural member of the 50-50 club.
A town in southern Alberta will be one of the first to let golf carts be driven on select roads as part of a provincial pilot program.
An increased risk of fire has prompted the recall of thousands of Honda hybrid vehicles in Canada.
A senior executive for Volkswagen in China has been deported for allegedly using cocaine and marijuana while on vacation in Thailand, according to Chinese authorities and German media reports.
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night – with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
An update on the health-care piece of Mayor Ken Sim's pledge to hire 100 mental health nurses to pair with 100 police officers has revealed just how little resemblance what is being implemented bears to what was promised in 2022.
Voting officials say recounts in two ridings that could determine the outcome of British Columbia's election won't start until Sunday afternoon.
The last weekend of October brings events celebrating Halloween, Diwali and more to Metro Vancouver.
U.S. authorities earlier this year knew the whereabouts of a former Canadian Olympian who is now on the run for allegedly running a transnational drug trafficking ring and orchestrating murders in Ontario, according to Ontario court documents.
Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.
It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.
A Calgary business owner is frustrated and looking for answers after Google removed his business' profile without warning, resulting in a loss of bookings and damage to his company’s reputation.
International graduate students at the University of Calgary say recent changes to the cap on international students, along with more cuts to Canada's immigration targets, is causing uncertainty -- and could drive talent away from the country.
Vaccine fatigue is likely to blame for a slower start to the fall immunization campaign in Alberta, according to an infectious disease expert.
The Ottawa Police Service has identified the woman who was stabbed to death at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive Thursday morning.
A new organization that aims to help people struggling with addiction officially launched in Ottawa Thursday, named after the late Matthew Perry.
A man is facing charges after copper wire and a utility trailer were stolen from a business in eastern Ontario Wednesday.
Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough on Thursday.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and on Thursday the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation held a brunch in downtown Montreal featuring a special guest: Matthew Knowles.
Quebec's health department says it will be ready to meet the expected demand for advanced applications for medical assistance in dying when it begins accepting those requests next week.
The man who cut up the body of his grandson's mother is going to prison after the Alberta Court of Appeal overturned his previous sentence.
One person was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a reported shooting on Wednesday night.
Some Edmonton public school support staff walked off the job Thursday morning, after the province stepped in on Wednesday to prevent strike action.
The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.
WorkSafeNB is investigating after a man was killed in a workplace incident at a tire shop in Moncton, N.B., last week.
The Nova Scotia Liberals are accusing former member Fred Tilley of accessing party files one day before he crossed the aisle to join the Progressive Conservatives.
The Manitoba man who brutally murdered his partner and two young children stood in court, voice wavering, and apologized for his actions that ended the lives of three people he said he loved very much.
A pair of councillors in the RM of Springfield plan on bringing forward a motion to opt out of Plan 20-50 when they are first able to.
A Winnipeg teenager has been charged with multiple offences after a stolen car crashed in St. Boniface Thursday morning.
After two days of advance polls, more than 119,000 people have already cast a ballot in-person for the 2024 Saskatchewan election.
A former tire recycling company in Saskatoon is announcing additional layoffs months after a dispute with the provincial government.
A man is dead and two other people were injured in a two vehicle collision north of Regina on Wednesday evening.
Erick Buhr, the man on trial for second-degree murder in the death of his grandmother Viola Erb, took the stand Thursday to testify in his own defense.
One Ontario couple is taking a different approach to growing their family.
U.S. authorities earlier this year knew the whereabouts of a former Canadian Olympian who is now on the run for allegedly running a transnational drug trafficking ring and orchestrating murders in Ontario, according to Ontario court documents.
The Saskatchewan RCMP is calling off its dangerous persons alert after two people were arrested in the Tobin Lake area Thursday afternoon.
A former tire recycling company in Saskatoon is announcing additional layoffs months after a dispute with the provincial government.
Saskatoon police are investigating a series of suspicious fires that were lit in the Mayfair neighbourhood on Thursday morning.
The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.
Greater Sudbury Police have released a photo of a person they say escaped by driving their motor vehicle on a sidewalk past pedestrians and then the wrong way down a one-way street.
A 72-year-old driver was charged Wednesday with following two closely after a five-vehicle crash sent several people to hospital in Parry Sound.
When she took the stand at a London courthouse on Thursday, 21-year-old Kaiah Edmonds testified that she arrived at the bush party off of Pack Road in a vehicle driven by one of the accused - Carlos Guerra Guerra.
The Hyde Park Business Improvement Association is taking steps to re-brand and dramatically expand its boundaries.
London police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect involved in a robbery on Sunday.
The trial of a Canadian soldier accused of sexual assault resumed on with the accused taking the stand, and painting a very different version of events from what the court heard from the complainant.
Emergency crews were called to attend a fire that broke out in a grassy area in Barrie on Thursday morning.
A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.
A former Lakeshore man is facing a 10-year prison sentence after he was found guilty on drug charges.
Speeding along Walker Road is a concern for residents who live, work and drive through the major Windsor artery, but according to one city councillor, implementing traffic calming measures is not a feasible solution.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service is investigating an indecent act report it received.
Mounties on Vancouver Island are investigating after a set of popular driftwood sculptures was reportedly stolen last week.
Voting officials say recounts in two ridings that could determine the outcome of British Columbia's election won't start until Sunday afternoon.
At least 1,749 people have died from toxic and unregulated drugs in British Columbia since the start of the year – a rate of more than six people per day, according to the latest data from the provincial coroner's office.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass deserves a better shot at becoming a significant tourism hub than the UCP government is giving it, an NDP shadow minister said as the southeastern Alberta community gears up for a coal mining plebiscite.
A three-game road trip across the prairies got off on a sour note Wednesday night as the Medicine Hat Tigers defeated the Calgary Hitmen 4-2.
A town in southern Alberta will be one of the first to let golf carts be driven on select roads as part of a provincial pilot program.
Police seized drugs, $70,000 and a large gold chain in a drug trafficking bust earlier this month in Thunder Bay.
An annual event held in Sault Ste. Marie is back for the 29th year to ensure local kids get the winter clothing they need as the temperature dips.
The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.
Investigators found the remains of a 77-year-old American man on Wednesday at the scene of a fire that destroyed a hotel in western Newfoundland earlier on the weekend.
Police in western Newfoundland say a 77-year-old man visiting the province from Kansas is missing after a fire at a hotel in Deer Lake, N.L.
At 2 p.m. on Thursday, the scene at the Lions Club in Clarenville, N.L., rivalled any rowdy St. John's bar that thumps with music late on a weekend night.
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