‘Fear Factor’ Rebooted MTV Millenial-Style, With Ludacris as Host
Let’s face it; Generation Z just doesn’t scare at a bed of worms, or a platter full of yak testicles. Thankfully, MTV wants to put the Fear Factor back into today’s youth, dunking cell phones in water and the like with a revival of the gross-out game show, as hosted by Furious franchise star Ludacris.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, MTV has revived the game show with a new focus on “tapping into visceral fears of today’s anxious youth.” Ludacris will host the new twelve-episode season, itself set to premiere on Tuesday, May 30, at 10:00 P.M., with a synopsis that teases its Generation Z focus:
The new incarnation will flip the script on its targeted Generation Z audience and instead of gross-out challenges (like eating worms), will be more playful with the hope of providing a cathartic tension release along the way. The newly designed stunts are geared at tapping into visceral fears of today’s anxious youth — such as couch surfing at 300 feet and waterlogging personal cellphones.
Inspired by urban legends, scary movies and online videos from the zeitgeist, contestants will be pushed beyond their comfort zones where their body’s physiological responses will take over. Each hourlong episode will feature eight contestants pairing up in four teams of two — think siblings, college rivalries, roommates, best friends, co-workers and exes — and facing off for a cash prize.
The original Fear Factor began in 2001 with a six-season run, eventually returning in 2011 under then-host Joe Rogan, who has no involvement in the new version. Stay tuned for the latest on MTV’s reboot.