According to KitGuru.net, Netflix and A24 have officially partnered to develop a competitive reality television show based on the Overcooked video game franchise. The indie film production company known for critically acclaimed movies is now venturing into gaming adaptations with this unique collaboration. The project is currently in the early stages of development, with Overcooked’s original studio Ghost Town Games directly involved in production. Phil Duncan from the studio will serve as one of the executive producers on the series. The show will adapt the chaotic co-op cooking game where players navigate increasingly absurd kitchen environments while trying to complete orders against the clock.
From controller chaos to real-world madness
Here’s the thing about Overcooked – it’s basically the perfect game for a reality show adaptation. The core concept is already television-ready: teams working against time in kitchens that literally fall apart, slide around, or get split in two. But translating that from a cute cartoon game to real human contestants? That’s where things get interesting.
Think about it – in the game, you’re just pressing buttons while your character chops vegetables. In reality? You’ve got actual knives, hot stoves, and the very real potential for kitchen disasters. The safety waivers alone must be terrifying. And how do you recreate those insane kitchen environments that shift and move? We’re talking serious production design challenges here.
Why this might actually work
Look, we’ve seen plenty of terrible video game adaptations over the years. But a competitive cooking show with the Overcooked twist? That feels different. It’s not trying to adapt some complex narrative – it’s taking a proven game mechanic and putting real people through it. The drama writes itself: teams arguing as their kitchen tilts 45 degrees, orders piling up while the floor is moving, that perfect plate of spaghetti sliding right off the counter.
And with A24 involved, we’re probably not getting some cheap game show setup. This could have that quirky, elevated reality TV vibe that makes shows like The Great British Bake Off so addictive. Plus, having the original developers in the room means they’ll hopefully preserve what made the games so special – that perfect blend of cooperation and pure chaos.
The gaming adaptation gold rush continues
We’re living through peak video game adaptation era, and honestly? It’s getting wild. From high-budget film franchises to niche indie game shows, everyone wants a piece of the gaming world. But most adaptations focus on story-heavy games – this Overcooked move shows studios are getting smarter about matching game mechanics to TV formats.
Basically, they’re realizing that not every adaptation needs to be an epic fantasy series. Sometimes the best ideas come from games that are already about human interaction and teamwork under pressure. Whether this becomes the next great reality competition or just another weird experiment remains to be seen. But I’ve got to admit – I’m already curious to see how badly real people handle a kitchen that’s actively working against them.
