Play or Die

The central player whose memory is fractured and whose actions drive the game. He is revealed as a psychopath who organized the game and murdered his mother; memory loss adds a layer of ambiguity to his intentions. He alternates between vulnerability and violence, making him unpredictable.

A former dysfunctional lover who rekindles their relationship through the game. She is pragmatic, skeptical of the game’s killers, and driven to survive. Her resolve contrasts with Lucas's volatility, shaping the couple's fragile dynamic.

Naomi is introduced through papers as a dangerous patient who previously stayed at the hospital. Her past hints at a killer's legacy that shadows new participants. The clues tied to Naomi fuel a theory about the murders and the hospital's secrets.

A fellow participant in the game; her presence adds to the danger and tension as players navigate the tests. She remains one of the many unknowns whose motives are revealed only through the course of the game.

A younger version of Lucas appears in memory or flashbacks, hinting at the early origins of his criminal persona. The child scenes provide context for the character’s troubled development and the game’s dark lineage.

A fellow player whose presence contributes to the tense dynamic among contestants. His motives and alliances are part of the shifting, distrustful atmosphere of the game.

A character connected to the hospital environment and the game’s operation. The summary does not spell out his exact role, leaving his function as part of the mystery of the event.

A member of the hospital staff who enhances the clinical setting and adds tension through routine medical motifs. Her behavior and presence contribute to the eerie, controlled atmosphere of the tests.

The second nurse adds to the hospital routine and procedural feel of the game. Her role supports the documentary-like sense of the environment while the danger unfolds.

An authority figure who appears within the hospital setting, representing law and order amid the escalating chaos of the game. Her presence underscores the stakes of the contestants’ actions.

The mother of Lucas, whose murder is later revealed as central to the killer’s motive. Her role in his backstory informs the film’s darkest revelations and the moral implications of his actions.