‘Squid Game’ IRL: How much did it cost MrBeast to recreate the show?

We don’t usually think of shows and movies as being products. Platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Paramount +, Disney +, etc., are seen as mere playlists for the whole world. They’re clus to exclusive worlds and sometimes, we’re granted open access as the clubs welcome any and everyone that crosses their paths. But usually, they cost some money we’re happy to spend. 

We see shows and movies as masterpieces like paintings in a gallery or music from the symphony. But producers, especially the Hollywood producers and agents see them as products. No product is free (rarely cheap) to compose. Film/show makers are artists and entrepreneurs, both of whom share great visions. The fact is, our visions either don’t care or have no concept of “cheap” and “expensive”. 

We often have visions that are far more than what we can afford to spend. But some folks manage to pull the visions off. (There are many varying circumstances playing major roles in whether or not people achieve their visions, but we won’t get into that today!) Any chance, you’ve pondered on the average cost of a television show?

In the United States, the average broadcast network drama costs creators around $3 million an episode to produce. Cable dramas cost an average of $2 million. And pilot episodes may be even more expensive. With Squid Game taking the world by storm, now we’re curious about the cost MrBeast encountered to recreate the show. 

Squid Game

When it comes to Squid Game, subscribers have watched more than 2.1 billion hours of the show since its release, according to Netflix. It’s the equivalent of about 239,700 years. The show has made history, and is currently Netflix’s most popular title. It may not be for the faint of heart, but the show is truly addictive. 

They have a great ability to weave current themes of social instability and inequality into the episodes of the show. 

Squid Game tells the tale of 456 people amid significant financial debt, competing in a contest where $4.6 billion dollars and their lives are at stake. They’re risking their lives playing a collection of children’s games. Hwang Dong-hyuk gathered the idea for the show based on his own economic struggles of the past, the class disparity in South Korea and capitalism.

MrBeast

America’s top YouTuber MrBeast came up with a real-life version of Squid Game, promising a cash prize of US$456,000 (S$623,000) for the winner. The twenty-five minute video was uploaded on November 24, 2021. And already, it’s garnered more than 133 million views in just one week. Squid Game on Netflix collected 111 million views in less than one month, making it the most infamous show on the streaming platform. 

MrBeast’s Squid Game diligently recreated games, not including the violence and death, of course. They took place on sets which devotedly copied those from the Netflix drama. 

Such sights included the huge creepy doll, the bunk beds, colossal piggy bank of cash, including a “glass” bridge hovering high up in the air. Born as James Donaldson, MrBeast has earned a reputation for costly stunts and more than generous cash prizes.

As revealed on Twitter, recreating the show cost MrBeast US$2 million. The prizes totalled US$ 1.5 million. The video may very well become the young YouTuber’s most popular piece since his beginning in 2012. It’s receiving mixed reactions from fans of both MrBeast and Squid Game, but most commentators on YouTube praise the attention to detail and nice nature of the game. 

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Are you a fan of Squid Game and/or MrBeast? Share your thoughts!