The Hunger Squid Games

**"The Hunger Squid Games"** is a dystopian science fiction series that premiered on Netflix on December 4, 2023, in the United States and December 5 in South Korea. Conceived as a cross-cultural collaborative project, the series merges the cerebral and political landscape of Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games" with the intense survival stakes and societal critique of Hwang Dong-hyuk's "Squid Game." This ambitious project is helmed by directors Gary Ross, who directed the first "The Hunger Games" film, and Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of "Squid Game."

Written and created by Collins and Hwang, the series explores the concept of a transnational alliance between the dystopian regimes of Panem and the organizers of the Squid Games. In this narrative, characters are thrust into an elaborate and treacherous competition that combines the brutal combat of the Hunger Games arena with the cunningly designed games of the Squid Game, challenging participants both physically and psychologically.

Starring a blend of Hollywood and Korean actors, including Jennifer Lawrence, Lee Jung-jae, Josh Hutcherson, and a supporting cast featuring Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks, the series aims to bridge Western and Eastern cinematic sensibilities. The ten-episode series is produced by Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik, alongside Siren Pictures Inc., with a significant budget of $157 million. The show's score is a collaborative effort between James Newton Howard, known for his work on "The Hunger Games," and Jung Jae-il, who composed for "Squid Game."

"The Hunger Squid Games" has garnered attention for its unique fusion of two vastly popular franchises, creating a new sub-genre that promises to deliver a narrative filled with intrigue, strategy, and a critical examination of society's structures of power and control.

## Plot

A gripping dystopian series that amalgamates the dire milieu of "The Hunger Games" with the cerebral labyrinth of "Squid Game." At the nexus of this new narrative stands the merger of the two games, orchestrated by the power-hungry minds behind Panem's Hunger Games and the covert operators of the Squid Game. This coalition conceives an unparalleled Hunger Games, resurrected to enthrall and horrify a global viewership.

The series commences with the fateful reentry of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark into the arena of despair, snatched from their lives by the supreme government—a sinister synthesis of the Squid Game's orchestrators and the autocrats of Panem. This resurgence of the Hunger Games heralds a new era of tyranny, with a lavish display of cruelty and the reinstatement of the bloodlust spectacle.

Amidst the grandeur of a massive hall, an ominous cross between the Squid Game's dormitory and the Hunger Games' treacherous forests, Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy rejoin Katniss and Peeta. Their reunion, under the shadow of the supreme government's rise, is a bittersweet testament to the enduring cycle of the games.

In this renewed theater of survival, Katniss and Peeta encounter Seong Gi-hun, the victor of the original, unmerged Squid Game. Bearing the psychological scars of his victory, Gi-hun becomes an unlikely ally to the pair from Panem. His intimate knowledge of the Squid Game's inner workings and his understanding of the high stakes involved make him a valuable companion. Together, they navigate the perilous intersection of the Hunger Games' brutality and the Squid Game's deceit.

The plot thickens as the trio, along with their allies, confronts the insidious challenges put forth by the supreme government. The Hunger Squid Games evolve into a contest of not just survival but of wits and moral fortitude. Gi-hun, familiar with the despair and manipulation inherent in such games, provides Katniss and Peeta with insights that only a former winner could offer. In turn, Katniss and Peeta share their experiences of past rebellions and the spark of hope that can unite the downtrodden.

As the series progresses, the supreme government's grip tightens, but so does the resolve of Katniss, Peeta, and Gi-hun. They find themselves at the heart of a burgeoning rebellion, fueled by the grotesque spectacles they are forced to partake in. Their alliance symbolizes a collision of worlds and a confluence of experiences, a united front against the despotic regime that seeks to control them.

"The Hunger Squid Games" becomes a tale of interconnected fates and the relentless pursuit of liberation. It is a story that stitches together the raw, visceral fight for life and the intricate dance of strategy, where every alliance holds the power to overturn the oppressive game they are all ensnared in.

## Gameplay

### Day 1-3: Hunger Games Section

In the Hunger Game section, players must survive against everyone outside of their own district (1-12). They do not work together, unlike the Squid Game section. 10 people of each district are chosen to enter.

#### Eliminated players (34, 86 remaining)

* **District 1:** 3 players (Remaining 7)
* **District 2:** 4 players (Remaining 6)
* **District 3:** 4 player (Remaining 6)
* **District 4:** 4 players (Remaining 6)
* **District 5:** 3 players (Remaining 7)
* **District 7:** 2 players (Remaining 8)
* **District 8:** 2 players (Remaining 8)
* **District 9:** 4 players (Remaining 6)
* **District 10:** 3 players (Remaining 7)
* **District 11:** 3 players (Remaining 7)
* **District 12:** 2 players (Remaining 8)

### **Day 4-6: Squid Game Section**

In the Squid Game section, players now have to work together to survive and cannot kill each other, such as using weapons, they must work together to get to the next game. Districts don't matter here, it's only their allies that matter.

#### Day 4: Twisted Red Light, Green Light

##### Eliminated players (15, 71 remaining)

* **District 1:** 1 player (Remaining 6)
* **District 3:** 1 player (Remaining 5)
* **District 4:** 2 players (Remaining 4)
* **District 5:** 1 player (Remaining 6)
* **District 6:** 2 players (Remaining 8)
* **District 8:** 1 player (Remaining 7)
* **District 9:** 1 player (Remaining 5)
* **District 11:** 2 players (Remaining 5)
* **District 12:** 2 players (Remaining 6) **Notable elimination:** Sam (Katniss, Peeta, Seong and Lucy's ally group)

#### Day 5: Twisted Glass Bridge

##### Eliminated players (15, 66 remaining)

* **District 3:** 1 player (Remaining 4)
* **District 9:** 1 player (Remaining 4)
* **District 11:** 1 player (Remaining 4)
* **District 12:** 1 player (Remaining 5) **Notable elimination:** Peeta (Katniss, Seong and Lucy's ally group)

#### Day 6: Twisted Marbles

##### Eliminated players (37, 28 remaining)

* **District 1:** 4 players (Remaining 1)
* **District 2:** 5 players (Remaining 1)
* **District 3:** 4 players, **DISTRICT ELIMINATED**
* **District 4:** 2 players (Remaining 2)
* **District 5:** 6 players, **DISTRICT ELIMINATED**
* **District 8:** 5 players (Remaining 2)
* **District 9:** 1 player (Remaining 3)
* **District 10:** 5 players (Remaining 2)
* **District 11:** 4 players, **DISTRICT ELIMINATED**
* **District 12:** 1 player (Remaining 4) **Notable elimination:** Lucy (Katniss and Seong's ally group)

### **Day 7-9: 2nd & last Hunger Games Section**

The second and last Hunger Games section, the 28 remaining contestants went against each other and returned to their districts to survive against the other players.

#### Eliminated players (13, 17 remaining)

* **District 1:** 1 player, **DISTRICT ELIMINATED**
* **District 4:** 1 player (Remaining 1)
* **District 6:** 3 players (Remaining 5)
* **District 7:** 4 players (Remaining 4)
* **District 8:** 2 players, **DISTRICT ELIMINATED**
* **District 10:** 1 player (Remaining 1)
* **District 12:** 1 player (Remaining 3)

### Day 10-12: 2nd & last Squid Game Section

The second and last Squid Game Section, the remaining 15 must once again work with each other to survive and win the games.

#### Day 10: Naughts + Crosses

##### Eliminated players

* **District 2:** Player (6)
* **District 6:** Players **109**, **111**, (32), (78) and **112**.
* **District 7:** Players 7, 37, (99) and **102**.
* **District 9:** Players 56, (66) and 97
* **District 10:** Player **8**
* **District 12:** Katniss, Seong and Player 79

**Round 1:** Player 6 duels with 109, **109 wins.**

**Round 2:** Player 111 duels with 99, **111 wins.**

**Round 3:** Player 32 duels with 102, 102 wins.

**Round 4:** Player 78 duels with 8, 8 wins.

**Round 5:** Player 112 duels with 66, 112 wins.

**Round 6:** Player 7 duels with Player

## Episodes

*The Hunger Squid Games* consists of one season with 9 episodes at a run time of 60-90 minutes. All ten episodes were co-directed by Gary Ross and Hwang Dong-hyuk.