Squid Game Owes Everything to This Japanese Horror You Can Watch for Free

Squid Game Season 3 will hit Netflix on June 27, 2025. We've already discussed the latest trailer and how it may or may not have revealed the biggest twist of the upcoming season.

But today we are taking a closer look at Battle Royale (2000), a movie that is eerily similar to our beloved series.

Battle Royale: The OG Deadly Game Before Squid Game

Before we go any further, we should mention that Battle Royale is based on the book by Koushun Takami.

If you're a fan of projects like Squid Game and The Hunger Games, but haven't heard of Battle Royale, you're in for a real treat. Battle Royale follows a group of high school students who are sent to a deserted island. They are forced to kill each other until only one survives.

The movie was so controversial when it came out that it was banned in several countries, including Germany. But that didn't stop it from becoming a massive cult hit and inspiring countless movies and shows, including, you guessed it, Squid Game.

Why Will Squid Game Fans Appreciate Battle Royale?

If you're a fan of Squid Games, you'll feel right at home here (albeit a very dysfunctional one). Battle Royale (both book and movie) is basically the OG of the whole people-forced-to-fight-to-death genre that we can't get enough of these days.

While Squid Game tackles wealth inequality and capitalism, Battle Royale takes aim at generational divide and authority.

Squid Game's production wraps its horror in colorful packaging, Battle Royale's unpolished look feels like a punch in the gut. Each approach works brilliantly in their respective contexts.

What Does the Audience Think About Battle Royale?

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Battle Royale has 90% from critics and 89% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Battle Royale is rated 7.5/10.

“Brilliant film but unfortunately has led to me just saying “this is just ripped off battle royale” to people during many, many films since,” Redditor MrPZA82 wrote.

“F– looooove battle royale. I think it’ll hold as a horror blueprint for what’s now the battle royale genre the same as Michael and Jason did for slashers,” another Redditor shared.

Where To Watch Battle Royale For Free?

If you're counting down the days until Squid Game Season 3, do yourself a favor and check out Battle Royale. It's available on Hoopla, Kanopy, Plex and Fawesome for free.