Entertainment giants are truly grasping for any hint of intellectual property this days — including by plumbing the depths of random playground games.
On Thursday Netflix announced that it is producing a reality competition show called Simon Says, which is indeed based on the game where a five-year-old plays “Simon” and tells others to do whatever they tell them to. According to the streamer, “Contestants will face a gauntlet of cunning challenges, strategic mind games, and unexpected pivots as they compete for a life-changing prize.” But “one rule remains the same: if Simon says it, you’d better listen.”
That said, in this contest, it sounds like following Simon and his wishes won’t always pan out for the contestants. “Obedience may buy another day, but every choice comes with consequences,” the streamer said.
No, the project does not appear to be based on the 1999 action-comedy Simon Sez, starring Dennis Rodman (“It ain’t over til…”). And the streamer has not yet responded to a question from THR about who exactly, will inhabit the titular role of Simon.
Showrunner Emer Harkin (The Challenge, Buddy Games) will head up the series, assisted by executive producers Julie Pizzi, Rupert Dobson and Gayani Wanigaratne. Bunim/Murray, a division of Banijay Americas, is producing the series.
Netflix has capitalized on semi-ridiculous or provocative concepts for its reality fare before, from Floor Is Lava to Is It Cake? to Love Is Blind. The streamer has not yet publicized the release date for the show.
