Media companies would likely be ecstatic to have hit original series "Squid Game" or the rights to National Football League games and be able to air them on back-to-back days. Streaming giant Netflix Inc NFLX can do just that with its highly anticipated second season of "Squid Game" releasing on Dec. 26.
What Happened: First confirmed in 2022, a second season of "Squid Game" has been among the most eagerly awaited series of all time and a key future catalyst for Netflix.
The second season will be released on Netflix on Dec. 26, the streaming company announced Wednesday.
"The Olympics may be lighting up Paris, but the real game is coming this winter. That's right – Squid Game Season 2 will premiere on Dec. 26, bringing fans back into the twisted competition at the center of the series," the company said.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk returns, along with several cast members from the first season.
"I do have a lot on my shoulders, but I'll make sure it's worth the wait," Hwang previously said in 2023.
Season 2 will take place three years after the first season and is set in South Korea following main character Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae).
Along with the highly anticipated release date for Season 2, Netflix also announced that a third and final season is coming in 2025.
"The fierce clash between (Gi-hun and Front Man's) two worlds will continue into the series finale with Season 3, which will be brought to you next year," Dong-hyuk writes.
The series' director thanked fans for the huge response to his show that premiered nearly three years ago.
"We'll do our best to make sure we bring you yet another thrill ride. I hope you're excited for what's to come."
Read Also: Will Netflix Save Shopping Malls? New Experiences A Potential Game Changer For Retail Centers
Why It's Important: Along with its original series, original movies and acquired content, Netflix has been making a push into live sports and sports adjacent programming.
The company landed the rights to two NFL games on Christmas Day 2024. The streamer will broadcast the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by a game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET.
This means that Netflix will have two top NFL exclusive games on Christmas Day and follow it up with the release of the second season of "Squid Game" a day later. Christmas falls on a Wednesday in 2024 making "Squid Game" release day a Thursday and potentially giving fans several days into the weekend to watch the series. Netflix has not officially announced how it will release episodes, but the first season of "Squid Game" was released all at once, allowing binge-watching.
Netflix also said in its second-quarter earnings results that it will release a multiplayer game based on "Squid Game" later this year.
The first season of "Squid Game" shattered streaming records and is the most viewed Netflix series based on minutes in its first 28 days of release.
Viewers watched 1.65 billion hours of "Squid Game" in its first 28 days of release, with 142 million households watching the series, according to the company.
The hit series became a pop culture phenomenon, won awards and saw a reality competition launched by MrBeast on YouTube and later by Netflix.
"Squid Game" hit number one in 94 countries for Netflix and later hit the top 10 once again in late 2023 when the reality series was launched.
For Netflix, Christmas could be extra special in 2024.
NFLX Price Action: Netflix shares trade at $631.16 versus a 52-week range of $344.73 to $697.49. Netflix stock is up 30% year-to-date in 2024.
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Photo courtesy of Netflix.
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