Could an American version of Squid Game be coming soon? | indy100

Squid Game Recap

IGN / VideoElephant

Warning: Squid Game season three spoilers ahead

Since Squid Game’s third and final season dropped on 27 June — with some fans binge-watching it within 24 hours — speculation is now mounting: is this truly the end, or could an American version be on the horizon?

Season three of the hugely anticipated Netflix series ended with a surprise celebrity cameo from Oscar winner Cate Blanchett. While it could simply be a bold way to wrap up the season, many fans believe it hints at something more, perhaps a US spin on the show.

In episode six, titled ‘Humans Are…’, viewers were stunned to see Blanchett appear as a Los Angeles-based recruiter, playing Ddakji with a homeless man. The scene quickly became a focal point for fan theories.

"Cate Blanchett showing up in the Squid Game finale for a cameo that sets up another instalment," one fan theorised, as another suggested: "CATE BLANCHETT surprise cameo at the end OMG, Squid Game isn't over yet."

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Talk of a US adaptation isn’t new. Rumours have been circulating for some time, though nothing has been officially confirmed. At one point, Deadline cited sources suggesting an English-language Squid Game was in early development, potentially helmed by American filmmaker David Fincher.

However, despite fan theories, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk hasn’t linked Blanchett’s cameo to any of this speculation.

Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, he said: "We thought having a woman as a recruiter would be more dramatic and intriguing. And as for why Cate Blanchett, she’s just the best, with unmatched charisma. Who doesn’t love her? So we were very happy to have her appear.”

He added, “If Gong Yoo is the Korean Recruiter, I thought she would be the perfect fit as the American Recruiter, bringing a short but gripping and impactful ending to the story.”

While the final episode's tone certainly opens the door to future possibilities, Hwang has only briefly touched on the idea of further expansions, and not necessarily in the US.

"I actually had this faint ideation about possibly a spinoff — not a sequel, but maybe a spinoff about the three-year gap between season 1 and season 2 when Gi-hun [Lee Jung-jae] looks around for the recruiters," Hwang shared with Entertainment Weekly.

"There is that three-year period, and maybe I could have a portrayal of what the recruiters or Captain Park [Oh Dal-su] or officers or masked men were doing in that period, not inside the gaming arena, but their life outside of that. So that is some vague ideation that I have that could possibly be developed in the future."

So, while nothing is set in stone, Blanchett’s brief but impactful role has certainly reignited buzz, and with Squid Game’s global popularity, a US version may not be too far-fetched after all.

Indy100 reached out to Netflix for comment

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