Top 10 Things To Watch Next If You Loved Squid Game

Top 10 Things to Watch Next if You Loved “Squid Game”

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Things to Watch Next if You Loved “Squid Game.”

For this list, we’ll be looking at film and television that explores similar themes, ideas and scenarios, or that’s populated by similar characters as Netflix’s surprise smash hit. We’re in full survivor mode here, so just to be safe, the “spoiler” warning is going up.

What’s out there that you think “Squid Game” lovers will be raving about next? Enlighten us in the comments.

#10: “The Platform” (2019)

This Spanish sci-fi horror series explores the depths that people will sink to in desperate circumstances. Set in a dystopian prison, “The Platform” follows Goreng, a man who’s volunteered to be incarcerated in exchange for a diploma. Residents of the prison are assigned to different levels and unseen administrators lower food from above on the titular platform. But the lower floors receive only whatever the higher floors leave as leftovers, rapidly creating scarcity. Starvation drives the unfortunates below to murder and madness. Like “Squid Game,” “The Platform” dares to ask how far humans will go to survive in a system that denies them equality. The results are fascinatingly horrifying.

#9: “Kingdom” (2019-)

Set during medieval times, this South Korean series is a veritable Frankenstein of war drama, political thriller, and apocalyptic horror. The story focuses on a nation recovering from war, a prince whose claim to the throne is by no means assured, and a recently deceased king who happens to become a monster at night. As if that wasn’t trouble enough, the kingdom is beset by a plague that resurrects the nation’s dead as flesh-eating zombies! If genre-bending tales brave enough to think outside the box are your thing, check this one out.

#8: “Detention” (2020-)

“Squid Game” raises crucial questions about government and the power of the individual voice. The Taiwanese supernatural horror drama “Detention” offers a deeper dive into the perils of authoritarian rule. Based on a video game, it explores a period of martial law in Taiwan’s history known as the White Terror. When a young transfer student stumbles upon a restless spirit in her new school, the specter unveils the institution’s dark secrets. In previous decades, students and teachers were persecuted for rebelling against censorship. What unfolds is a terrifying tale, ideal for horror lovers, about the costs of challenging the powers that be.

#7: “3%” (2016-20)

Called “Brazil’s ‘Hunger Games’” by one critic, “3%” may seem conceptually familiar. However, just like “Squid Game”, “3%” shows that just because a story idea isn’t new, doesn’t mean it can’t feel fresh and thrilling. In a dark future, members from “the Inland,” a destitute region seeped in poverty, compete in “the Process,” grueling trials that only three percent of participants survive. Those who do will be granted life in a more favorable land, called “Offshore.” The series is compelling because it develops intricate characters that we get to know and in whose fates we invest. Excellent writing and acting breathe life into a premise that otherwise might feel stale.

#6: “Dead Set” (2008)

Before he taught us to fear our iPhones, “Black Mirror”-creator Charlie Brooker tackled reality TV and zombies. A fictionalized production of “Big Brother” comes to a staggering halt when the staff and talent find themselves amidst an invasion of undead. Walls that once housed a televised popularity contest suddenly become a stronghold against the end of days, and the scenario becomes just as offbeat and entertaining as it is terrifying. It’s a rollercoaster rush thanks to the tone’s rapid shift from funny, to scary, to touching, and back again. “Dead Set” expertly walks a thin line between humor, gore, and tragedy, making it one hell of a ride.

#5: “Sweet Home” (2020-)

Once again, we find ourselves in an ordinary setting that’s transformed into a fortress, separating humans from monsters. A group of survivors cling together in an apartment complex, as the world around them becomes filled with deformed aberrations. Like others on this list, South Korea’s apocalyptic horror series “Sweet Home” uses its dark premise as a vehicle for characters with rich and tortuous backstories. As we explore their pasts, we’re forced to wonder just how close to monsters they were themselves. Like “Squid Game”, it’s a story where how characters choose to survive is just as important as whether or not they make it to the end.

#4: “Battle Royale” (2000)

This Japanese action-thriller spawned an entire subgenre. The arenas in “battle royale” stories change, but the rules remain more or less the same: players must kill each other until only one victor remains. In director Kinji Fukasaku’s masterpiece, the Japanese government strands a class of school kids on an island, with instructions that they have three days to brawl to the death. The cult classic generated instant controversy for its violence and brutality. But it’s this bloody mayhem that thrilled viewers - and made it one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite movies ever. It remains a quintessential depiction of survival-of-the-fittest, stripped down to its barest parameters: kill or be killed.

#3: “Danganronpa: The Animation” (2013)

If you were forced to survive all the scenarios on our list so far, this could be the final boss. This thirteen episode anime is based on the 2010 video game “Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc”. The setup? Sixteen students are trapped inside a high school, where a creepy anthropomorphic bear gives them instructions. To escape, each pupil must not only kill a fellow classmate, but also avoid a guilty conviction when put on trial. This premise elevates the challenge to a new, even more sinister level; the teens must not only murder their peers, but also manipulate their way to freedom. It’s a test that requires brutal violence but also cruel cunning.

#2: “Dark” (2017-20)

It’s been called Germany’s answer to “Stranger Things”, but it’s so, so much more! “Dark” is a brooding science fiction thriller packed with mystery, murder, and mind-bending concepts. Set in a small town, it follows interconnected families whose lives are scrambled thanks to a wormhole in the woods. The characters each have secrets rooted in their past, which slowly come to the surface. With its intertwining narratives “Dark” expects a lot from audiences, but it’s a commitment that’s well worthwhile. While the events that ensue are far from “games”, fans of “Squid Game” should check it out for its unique premise, idea-driven sci-fi, and amazing character development.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The Hunger Games” Series (2012-15)
We Volunteer as Tribute to Watch These Films a Few More Times

“Cube” (1997)
Strangers Wake Up in a Cube with Death Traps in Every Room

“Reality Z” (2020-)
Brazil’s Version of “Dead Set”

“As the Gods Will” (2014)
A Supernatural Game of Life & Death in a Japanese High School

#1: “Alice in Borderland” (2020-)

If you loved “Squid Game”, make this Japanese sci-fi thriller your next watch! “Alice in Borderland” follows Arisu and his allies as they attempt to survive deadly games in a mysteriously abandoned Tokyo. With nail-biting suspense, shocking twists, and unexpected alliances, the popular series shares many elements with its South Korean cousin. Also similar is the way competitors must rely on their wits to decode puzzles and formulate strategies. The debate over which show is better has passionate fans on both sides. Think classic debates like “John vs. Paul,” “Kirk vs. Picard,” Pepsi vs. Coke…” You get the idea. You know what though? We’re happy to love both!