‘Squid Game’ Isn’t for Disney, and That’s a Problem
The success of Netflix’s disturbingly dark new series is why Disney+ needs to combine with Hulu and embrace programming for adults.
Absolutely not suitable for Disney’s family fare.
Photographer: Youngkyu Park/Netflix
Disney+ could never play “Squid Game.”
By now, many viewers have probably heard of Netflix Inc.’s creepy series out of South Korea, which has become a streaming sensation in recent weeks. A “dystopian survival story kind of like ‘Hunger Games,’” is how Netflix’s co-chief executive officer, Ted Sarandos, described “Squid Game,” but even that’s sanitizing the plot. “Ultra-disturbing” better encapsulates it, and yet the series is a must-watch. When Sarandos referred to “Squid Game” during a technology conference Sept. 27, it had been out only nine days and was quickly capturing Netflix subscribers’ curiosity — and possibly their nightmares later. At one point, the program held a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. “‘Squid Game’ will definitely be our biggest non-English-language show in the world, for sure,” he said. “And it’s a very good chance it’s going to be our biggest show ever.”