Talpa Studios and Studio Lambert join forces to make The Golden Elevators in the US and UK

February 02, 2026 Talpa Studios, the global production company founded by John de Mol, introduces The Golden Elevators, a bold new psychological game format developed by the Talpa Studios creative team led by Chief Creative Officer Jasper Hoogendoorn. As part of its international launch, Talpa Studios will co-produce with Studio Lambert in two key markets, the United States and the UK. The partnership reunites Hoogendoorn with Studio Lambert, the creative forces behind the American and British versions of the phenomenally successful The Traitors.

Home News Talpa Studios and Studio Lambert join forces to make The Golden Elevators in the US and UK

The Golden Elevators is a high-stakes quiz show where knowledge gets you in the game, but psychology decides who survives. Ten contestants begin together in the lobby of a spectacular skyscraper, all chasing the same goal: reach the top floor and claim a rolling jackpot that starts at $100,000 and can grow dramatically as the game unfolds.

Each round begins with a trivia question, offering just two possible answers, each one linked to a different, iconic elevator. On the surface, it’s a simple choice. But this is where group dynamics transform the quiz into a psychological battlefield. After choices have been discussed and made, one elevator ascends toward the summit and the cash prize and the other plunges downwards – eliminating everyone inside in a single, brutal stroke.

The format will be produced in Talpa Studios’ international production hub in Belgium, building on the company’s proven track record in delivering scalable premium formats such as The Floor, The Quiz With Balls and Caught in the Middle.

Jasper Hoogendoorn, CCO at Talpa Studios: “This outstanding new format combines quiz and strategy elements with a gripping psychological layer and a strong, simple visual identity. Add our HUB strategy and the reunion with Stephen and his team, and you’re truly aiming for the top. John, Stephen and I all believe in deceptively simple ideas that create genuine psychological depth and global appeal, and this powerful collaboration provides a strong platform to bring the format to the international market.”

Stephen Lambert, CEO of Studio Lambert: “The last time we collaborated with Jasper the result was the US and UK versions of The Traitors, which have been spectacularly successful on both sides of the Atlantic. We think we have lightning in a bottle for the second time with The Golden Elevators, a show that combines the joy of a quiz with a psychological drama of trust and betrayal.  We can’t wait to find the right home for it in America and Britain.”

The Golden Elevators is developed and distributed by Talpa Studios.

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