Netflix Officially Confirms New Squid Game Series 9 Months After OG Show's Ending

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Published Mar 3, 2026, 3:51 PM EST

Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour.

Nine months after the original series ended on Netflix, another Squid Game spinoff has just been announced.

After Squid Game became a pop culture phenomenon, Netflix launched a reality show version of the hit dystopian thriller. Two seasons have been released so far, with Mai Whelan and Perla Figuereo walking away as the first two winners of Squid Game: The Challenge.

Now Netflix is developing a celebrity version of the reality show called Squid Game: The VIP Challenge. The famous faces competing in this new installment include Owning Manhattan's Ryan Serhant, NBA player Tristan Thompson, Spice Girls member Mel B, content creator Kristy Sarah, The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Kim Zolciak, The Bachelor's Hannah Godwin, and TV personality Dylan Efron.

Dancing With The Stars Season 34 Dylan Efron Promotion Photo

Zac Efron's brother previously won The Traitors season 3 with Dolores Catania, Gabby Windey, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten, and competed in Dancing with the Stars season 34.

There will also be one non-celebrity joining the cast of Squid Game: The VIP Challenge. DJ and SoulCycle coach Viper competed in Squid Game: The Challenge season 2 and won the Second Chance Fan Vote, which guaranteed him a spot to compete next season. At the time, Netflix hadn't announced yet that the new installment would be a celebrity version.

The Korean drama Squid Game premiered in 2021 and centered on a brutal and deadly competition involving hundreds of players participating in various challenges for the chance to win tens of millions of dollars. If a player doesn't complete a challenge, they die. Games featured on the show included Red Light, Green Light, Tug of War, Dalgona, Marbles, and a Six-Legged Pentathlon.

Season 1 ended with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as the winner; he returned to the game during season 2. Attempts were made to destroy the gamemakers' ability to continue the deadly competition as the stakes were raised to new heights. The series ended with Gi-hun's death and the surprise appearance of Cate Blanchett as an American recruiter.

Squid Game received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, with an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has been nominated for and won several awards since its debut. Lee took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, O Yeong-su won Best Supporting Actor – Television at the Golden Globes, and Jung Ho-yeon was honored with a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.

Squid Game: The Challenge hasn't received the same positive reception from critics (earning a 54% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it did debut at the top of Netflix's streaming chart in dozens of countries. The Challenge also earned Creative Arts Emmy nominations for casting, directing, and production design.

Peacock has found success with its celebrity-fueled competition series The Traitors, and it appears that Netflix is now following suit with its own celebrity version of the Squid Game reality show. A premiere date hasn't been announced yet.