Netflix Launches 'Squid Game: The VIP Challenge' Featuring Celebrity Contestants
Netflix announces a new celebrity-focused reality show "Squid Game: The VIP Challenge," featuring eight celebrity contestants competing in high-stakes games inspired by the original "Round 6" series.
- • Netflix announces 'Squid Game: The VIP Challenge', a new celebrity reality competition.
- • Eight celebrities, including Mel B and Tristan Thompson, will compete in challenges inspired by the original series.
- • The show continues the 'Round 6' franchise, famous for its intense, strategic gameplay and high prize stakes.
- • The original 'Round 6: O Desafio' reality show featured 456 contestants competing for R$ 24 million.
- • Premiere date for the new celebrity edition has not yet been disclosed.
Key details
Netflix is expanding its popular 'Round 6' franchise with a new celebrity reality competition titled 'Squid Game: The VIP Challenge.' Announced on March 3, 2026, this latest installment will feature eight celebrities competing in high-stakes challenges inspired by the original South Korean series.
The show will test participants' intelligence, strategy, and physical endurance as they navigate games mimicking the intense pressure and tactics seen in the original 'Round 6' series, which follows characters in debt playing deadly childhood games. The new format continues the franchise momentum built since the original series debuted in 2021 and the 2023 reality adaptation 'Round 6: O Desafio' featuring 456 competitors competing for a prize of R$ 24 million (about US$4.56 million).
Confirmed celebrity competitors include Mel B of the Spice Girls, NBA player Tristan Thompson, reality stars Dylan Efron, Hannah Godwin, Kim Zolciak, content creator Kristy Sarah, real estate broker Ryan Serhant, and DJ Viper, who gained fame as a popular winner from the previous Squid Game reality show. Viper hinted at bringing "total chaos" back to the competition and emphasized the importance of carefully considering every decision to succeed.
Netflix has not yet revealed a premiere date for 'The VIP Challenge,' but it promises to blend star power with the strategic gameplay and high tension that made the 'Round 6' franchise globally popular. The original series has already been renewed for a second season in 2025 and a third season later on, indicating strong confidence in the brand's continued success.
This celebrity edition aims to capitalize on the cultural impact of Squid Game while delivering the thrill of competitive reality TV with well-known personalities at the forefront, offering fans a fresh and relatable take on the franchise's signature challenges.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (4)
Source comparison
Renewal status of original series
Sources report different renewal statuses for the original 'Round 6' series.
bahianoticias.com.br
"The original show has already been renewed for a second season in 2025 and has also received a renewal for a third season."
estadao.com.br
"The original 'Round 6' series, launched in 2021, follows characters in debt who participate in deadly games based on childhood activities."
Why this matters: One source mentions that the original show has been renewed for a second and third season, while others do not provide this information. This affects the understanding of the franchise's future.