The hype for Survivor 50 is at an all-time high and will only increase in the upcoming weeks and months until it airs. Since it was announced that this season would include returning players from all eras, fans have clamoured, drafted, and wondered who will fill the coveted spots in the upcoming epic season.
While rumors have swirled about who will ultimately be on, there aren't any official announcements as the season hasn't started filming yet. However, the long-running show's host, Jeff Probst, has hinted at least what types of players production and casting are looking for for Survivor's next monumental goal.
In November 2024, during an exclusive interview with Dalton Ross for Entertainment Weekly, Probst first stated that the approach to Survivor 50 would be centred around 'celebration'.
"The first word that came to me was celebrate. And that's important to me because that's going to guide us into our creative. We want fans to be happy."
Later, Probst was precise that they were looking for joyful players who wanted to play instead of disgruntled ones who were only looking to settle vendettas.
"We're looking for players who want a second chance, who have something to prove to themselves," the Emmy-winning host added.
While the 'joyful players' category is quite extensive and does not pinpoint any specific players, it certainly alienates several who were deemed bitter, anti-heroes, and even the most celebrated villains in the show's history. But what's a story without its heroic players and their villainous counterparts? Any good one has to have balance to keep up interest, and any storylines they're telling are nuanced and fleshed out. As months have passed, interest has peaked, and new players present themselves, the casting could include a few spicy additions.
Jeff Probst hints Thomas Krottinger could be in the running for Survivor 50
Having said this, a new contender for a place in Survivor 50 has perhaps appeared. During an episode of the On Fire with Jeff Probst podcast, while discussing Thomas Krottinger's early elimination in Survivor 48, Probst was asked his thoughts about Thomas.
Probst answered:
"Big loss for the season. He's fascinating and super compelling; very clever, fun to talk to. My notes from meeting him were capital letters: I like him a lot; he's smart, devious, very compelling, clearly a driven human who likes to win, he's a great storyteller, and he's very confident."
Regarding Thomas's possible return, Probst said without hesitation, "Maybe a second-time player? Who knows?"
Aside from clearly being a devious and cunning player, Thomas is also joyful by Probst's standards, as he joyfully demonstrated he was willing to be cutthroat to advance in the game. Thomas also proved he was on Survivor to play the game the minute he set foot on the beach, but his time was cut short during Survivor 48. While the audience and fans won't know who will be on Survivor 50 until the season airs (well, and when the cast gets filtered the minute they leave for Fiji, if not before), Thomas would be an interesting, entertaining, and honestly, a great and correct addition.
Stay tuned for more news about Survivor 50!