The nerds continue to rule the Earth, with a litany of their favorite shows gaining more and more awards recognition. A full list of nominees has been released for the upcoming Producers Guild Awards, which are set to be held on March. The list includes multiple fan-favorite projects from the last year, particularly within the realm of episodic television.
For starters, Marvel Studios’ flagship Disney+ series WandaVision received a nomination in the ‘Limited and Anthology’ category, alongside critically acclaimed shows like Dopesick, The Underground Railroad, and The White Lotus.
Surprise worldwide phenomenon Squid Game was nominated for the Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, as was fellow underdog Netflix sensation Cobra Kai. They join the likes of HBO’s Succession, AppleTV+’s Ted Lasso, and Paramount’s Yellowstone in contention for the honor. On the film side of things, Denis Villenueve‘s Dune managed to snag a nomination for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures.
Noticeably missing from the list of nominees is Marvel and Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is currently tearing through the box office at record speeds. The film has been campaigning for major recognition during the awards season, and it remains to be seen if it will get any when the Oscars finally come around. Until then, fans of high sci-fi and comic book adaptations can breathe easy knowing Hollywood may finally be giving them the nods they’ve always deserved.
2021 has been quite a year, to say the least, as the pandemic continued to keep us at home. As such, we had a bit more time on our hands and luckily the various streaming services had plenty of content to keep us busy throughout the year. Of course, there’s always hope that your favorite show of the year might make it to the top of the list. While streaming services still won’t quite tell us how shows and films are performing, Nielsen still conducts its studies to give us an inclination on how the year went.
In 2021, the most-streamed original show was not the extremely popular Squid Game, but actually Lucifer. It switched to Netflix some time ago and now has become their most streamed offering. The Great British Baking Show takes the third spot followed by Virgin River, Bridgerton, You, Cobra Kai, The Crown, and Longmire. It’s not until the tenth spot that a non-Netflix offering joins the ranks with Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Disney+ and Apple TV+ only got one entry each with WandaVision and Ted Lasso.
There’s a very different story when it comes to movies, as eleven of the most viewed cinematic offerings were from Disney+. The list is dominated by Luca, Moana, Raya and the Last Dragon. Netflix’s Red Notice takes the fifth spot and they also nabbed the ninth with Mitchells Vs. The Machines. Marvel Studios also joined the list with Black Widow on the eleventh spot and rounds out the Top 15 with Avengers: Endgame. The performance of Disney+ is a good hint at the fact that family- and child-friendly offerings were the big winners.
Overall, it’s a strong list of shows. There’s always a chance that if we’d ever get a chance to see the true numbers their positions might shift. Nielsen also only uses third-party information that excludes mobile numbers, which could work in specific offerings favor. They only rank TV screens and HBO Max and Peacock are not currently included in the list, whose offerings with Friends and Yellowstone are likely candidates to be in the list. Still, it’s at least a small inclination what 2021 was like and we’ll see what 2022 has in store for us.
It looks like the creator of Netflix’s international smash hit Squid Game is in it for the long game, as Hwang Gon-hyuk has revealed he is currently in negotiations on a potential third season. There were already hints that they have started development on a second season to continue the story of Lee Jung-jae‘s Seong Gi-hun, who has made quite the declaration at the end of the first season after the revelations behind the titular Squid Game. Korean Times was kind enough to translate Gon-hyuk‘s statement on their current discussions:
I’m in talks with Netflix over season 2 as well as season 3. We will come to a conclusion any time soon.
Hwang Gon-hyuk
It’s uncertain how they’ll continue the storyline, but there are quite a few open questions left behind with Lee Byung-hun‘s Front Man revelation. They seemingly left a few talking points open on purpose to further explore the history of these games. We met one of its founders, but that won’t stop the games from continuing even as he moved on. We’ll see what the future has in store for Gi-hun, who is about to face an entire corporation down on his own.
Just as the news drops that Money Heist is getting a spinoff series, it seems the upcoming Korean adaptation wanted to bank on the current trend. Deadline has just reported that Squid Game‘s Park Hae-soo has joined the remake as the character of Berlin, who is the character that just got his own spinoff series. He’s the first to join the production ever since its announcement back in November 2020. Of course, the timing is perfect as it’s released just after his success on the hit Korean series and ahead of the Spanish’ final episodes releasing.
It’ll be interesting to see how they tackle the project. A Korean adaptation might mainly focus on the core characters of Tokyo, Berlin, the Professor, and more. Given the series simple concept, they might even add their own twist but simply stick to the namings for the core mission. Here’s hoping they add an interesting twist that also reflects their cultural aspects to make it stand out from the original in some way.
Netflix has seen the potential of utilizing its international shows to garner worldwide acclaim. This project feels like the perfect blend of exactly that, as it combines two of their most popular shows from across the world. We’ll see if some other familiar faces might make it into the project once more castings are revealed in the coming weeks.
Since its debut in September, Squid Game has proven to be a massive success for Netflix.
By the end of October, The Korean drama amassed an astounding 3 billion minutes viewed in a week’s span. With just under two months since its release, Squid Game has earned the honor of best title performance of 2021 in the U.S. rankings. Not bad for a series that only premiered in September. The drama continues to dominate Netflix’s Top 10, too, where it has remained since its debut. Yet, a second season has remained in question… until now.
COMEBACK SQUID: Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director, creator, writer of #SquidGame says the show will be back with more Gi-hun adventures. pic.twitter.com/uqC1DIdZqy
AP Entertainment recently had a chance to speak with Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator, writer and director behind the Netflix smash hit. While an official announcement has yet to come, Dong-hyuk promises there are more Gi-hun adventures on the way. “I will say there will indeed be a second season,” he says. “It’s in my head right now. I’m in the planning process currently.”
Unfortunately, those hoping for a quick return will find themselves disappointed. “I do think it’s too early to say when and how that’s going to happen.”
The first season of Squid Game is now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix’s latest blockbuster series from South Korea, Squid Game, has been dominating the streaming market. It’s been all the rage with TikTok videos paying tribute and the recent reveal of a new Funko Pop selection. The series pulled in 142M viewers in just its first four weeks. Nielsen’s U.S. rankings have added an updated top listing and the series managed to become the sixth title to pass 3 billion minutes watched within just a week. As a result, it’s also the best performing series in the United States.
The chart also includes Ted Lasso, What If…?, Only Murders in the Building, and Goliath, but Squid Game was the clear winner. What is interesting to note is that the former Apple TV+ series had its first appearance in the top listing after its Emmy win. Interestingly enough, HBO Max is the only streaming service to enter Nielsen’s top listing regularly. The only exception was Wonder Woman 1984. to put Squid Game’s 3 billion in comparison, the second place went to another Netflix series, Midnight Mass, with 1.71B minutes watched. Lucifer took the third spot with 535M minutes.
Given Netflix’s long history in the streaming market, they are the only streaming service to pass the 3B minutes in a week milestone. Its other series that managed to do so were You, Tiger King, Ozard, The Umbrella Academy, and The Crown. Of these shows, Tiger King managed it twice while Ozark dominated three weeks. It’ll be interesting to see if there are other series that’ll join this special club.
‘Y: The Last Man’ gets canceled but might find a new home
FX’s Y: The Last Man, the adaptation of the iconic comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra got canceled before its first season came to an end. Showrunner Eliza Clark announced it through her Twitter account, all while maintaining hope that this wouldn’t be the end of it. Just a couple of days later a rumor emerged that the show might find its next home at HBO Max, something that, in a way, would bring the show back under the Warner Bros. umbrella, as the source material was published through DC’s Vertigo imprint.
Marvel Studios, hopefully for the final time, decided to push back a few of its upcoming theatrical releases. Every movie starting with Thor: Love and Thunder was moved forward by a few months, with a couple of the previously announced 2023 dates removed altogether from the schedule. Kevin Feige referred to these changes as being due to “production shifts and changes” and since Marvel has several slots at their disposal it’s something that can easily be decided upon.
Harry Styles joins the MCU
Variety senior writer Matt Donnelly confirmed that Harry Styles had joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe on a viral tweet posted the night of the Eternals World Premiere. Styles is said to be playing Eros, the brother of the Mad Titan Thanos on a post-credit scene in the upcoming MCU feature. It came as a surprise to most that someone working for a major trade could so carelessly spoil such an important introduction, depriving fans of the surprise they would surely get at the end of their first Eternals viewing.
Thanagarians to appear in new CW series ‘Naomi’
Naomi seems to be adapting the Raanian / Thanagar War plotline from the comics. A recent clip from Naomi has made its way onto the internet giving us our very first look at Alexander Wraith as Dee, the mysterious mechanic in town who Naomi believes is holding a secret the could solve the mystery of her origin. Dee is a Thanagarian war deserter, who planned to run from the conflict with his wife who didn’t make it to earth. Naomi’s adoptive father is the one who came to earth in search of Dee but ended up falling in love and staying on Earth.
Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ continues its meteoric rise
After just four weeks in release, Netflix’s Korean drama Squid Game pulled in a stunning 142 million views by member households globally. The numbers were released by Netflix on Tuesday as part of its third-quarter earnings report in a letter to its investors. “A mind-boggling 142m member households globally have chosen to watch the title in its first four weeks. The breadth of Squid Game’s popularity is truly amazing,” the letter read.
‘World War Hulk” project in development at Marvel Studos
It’s been thoroughly reported that Mark Ruffalo has, over the years, often pitched Hulk solo storylines to Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige. Even though World War Hulk probably won’t turn out to be a Hulk solo outing, you can’t get more Hulk-centric than this. Fans rejoiced at the prospect of bringing the iconic comic storyline to the big screen where the MCU will have to deal with the implications of such a world-altering event.
Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’ might get its expected sequel
Dune: Part One is already being described and one of the biggest cinematic achievements of the past decade. Many have left theaters clamoring for the studio to deliver the sequel, as the future of the franchise seems brighter than ever before. Following the massive positive reaction to part one of director Denis Villeneuve‘s passion project, WarnerMedia Studios CEO seemingly confirmed that plans for a ‘Dune’ sequel are already being put into place.
Anakin Skywalker returns. Again.
After confirmation that Hayden Christensen would return to the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader role in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, a trade report announced that he would also make an appearance in the upcoming The Mandalorian spin-off, Ahsoka. Star Wars continues to move forward while leaning on a number of characters from its past, from Anakin to Kenobi and Boba Fett.
Every once in a while a series comes around on Netflix that takes the world by storm. Just a few years ago, that series was Stranger Things, becoming a pop culture phenomenon and now going into its fourth season. Netflix seems to have done it again, with Squid Game taking the world by storm, quickly becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched series of all time.
Like every popular show or movie, Funko soon follows behind with a slew of collectibles to memorialize your favorite characters and moments. Revealed exclusively by Entertainment Weekly is the first wave of Funko Pop! collectible figures from Squid Game. The first series will include Gi-Hun, Sae-Byeok, Sang-Woo, Ali, Il-Nam and one of the Red Workers.
Along with the main wave of common release characters comes a few exclusive figures to the line. The series will feature two variants of the Red worker with one Square mask exclusive to Walmart, and the triangle mask exclusive to the Funko Shop.
All of the Squid Game Funko Pops are currently set to release early next year in 2022, no specific release date has been issued. However, you can pre-order all the figures aside from the Funko Shop worker on Amazon and Walmart.
The first season of Squid Game is currently streaming on Netflix. There is currently no word as to if the series will continue for a second season at Netflix. However, with its massive popularity, it seems like a safe bet that the series will continue.
After just four weeks in release, Netflix’s Korean drama Squid Game pulled in a stunning 142 million views by member households globally. The numbers were released by Netflix on Tuesday as part of its third-quarter earnings report in a letter to its investors. “A mind-boggling 142m member households globally have chosen to watch the title in its first four weeks. The breadth of Squid Game’s popularity is truly amazing,” the letter read.
Squid Game launched on Netflix on Sept. 17 and has ranked as Netflix’s No. 1 show in 94 countries since its launch. Netflix also says Squid Game has “pierced the cultural zeitgeist” after being in an SNL skit, as well as becoming a meme on TikTok and other social media across the globe.
The series centers around 456 players who are down on their luck and in need of money to pay off their debts. They meet a mysterious recruiter who challenges them to a game of ddakji. The recruiter allows them to play until their successful, going on to offer them a chance at more cash through a series of children’s games. While he doesn’t go into further details, he does offer the players a card with three symbols on the front and a phone number on the back. Upon calling the number, participants have the chance to join the game without any idea of what its store upon joining. Soon enough, though, they find out only one player will survive to win the 45.6 billion won.
Squid Game was written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. All 9 episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
The Korean drama Squid Game has been all the rage lately and it seems that Netflix managed to nab another international hit. It seems that the mini-series garnered around 111 million viewers in just its first month. As such, it’s their biggest launched series since Bridgerton, whose record was beaten within 28 days. It was in the top spot throughout 90 countries since its September debut with 30 language options available. Squid Game joins the ranks of international hits like Money Heist, Dark, and Lupin.
What is quite impressive lies in how Netflix’s internationalization strategy is strengthening its grip on the market. As Deadline highlights, it’s quite an investment to realize that a series can find an audience worldwide no matter the language. The concept of Squid Game also has the advantage of telling a story that connects with many. The struggle of the low and middle-class forces many people’s hands to desperate options. The Battle Royale concept has generally also become quite popular throughout media, may it be through film, TV, or video games.
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
This website uses cookies
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
30 days
These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.
Name
Description
Duration
comment_author_email
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author_url
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
Pinterest Tag is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
