Did 'Squid Game' creators plagiarize this Japanese movie? - Film Daily

“Squid Game” creators and the plagiarism question remain in focus as comparisons return to the 2014 Japanese film As the Gods Will. The article says Netflix’s Korean hit has repeatedly faced claims that it borrowed elements, largely because both stories feature deadly children’s games and similar visuals in the opening contest. It notes that As the Gods Will, directed by Takashi Miike and adapted from the manga Kamisama no Iu Tōri, begins with a giant Daruma doll enforcing a lethal version of Red Light, Green Light, followed by a countdown clock and a run-slide sequence. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has defended the timeline, stating the Squid Game script was written in 2009 before As the Gods Will reached theaters and that similarities largely stop after the first round. The discussion resurfaced around the Season 2 premiere on December 26, 2024, and the franchise continues expanding with Squid Game: America, with production planned to start in early 2026.