Chuck E. Cheese is preparing a Squid Game-like game show as it keeps riding the Five Nights at Freddy's wave
Creepy animatronics potentially included.
Chuck E. Cheese's grand plans continue to be expanded following the success of the somewhat related Five Nights at Freddy's movie, as the company is looking into making a game show in the vein of Squid Game's deadly competition (minus the nasty deaths in cases of failure, of course).
The Hollywood Reporter shared the news on January 17, stating that Magical Elves, the renowned producers of Top Chef and other famous reality TV hits, are behind the project. It's being designed as something akin to Squid Game's titular show, "as it has adults competing in larger versions of games they played as kids."
Netflix already debuted its IRL take on the series' fictional game show to great success, so it only makes sense that Chuck E. Cheese is looking to take advantage of both the renowned interest in game shows as well as the burst of mainstream popularity the eerily similar Five Nights at Freddy's IP is experiencing after Universal and Blumhouse's hit horror flick.
The official description of the show shared by Chuck E. Cheese reads as follows: "The format will feature stand-alone comedic physical challenges where duos of ‘big kids’ (aka adults) will compete over supersized arcade games — including pinball, air hockey, alley roller and the human claw. The top ticket earning duo will get the chance to exchange their tickets for prizes off the massive version of the iconic Chuck E. Cheese prize wall." It's hard to discern whether they're trying to entertain nostalgic adults or kids with this, but we're curious to see what ends up happening.
Chuck E. Cheese was founded in 1977 by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell. It's no secret the restaurants & entertainment chain has struggled over the years, but it still has 567 locations operating across the United States. The FNAF madness from the back half of 2023 has greatly reinvigorated interest in the brand despite the lack of an official collaboration, so this probably isn't the last we've heard of their animatronics and entertainment ideas for the whole family.