You thought Squid Game, one of the most bingeable shows on Netflix, was over? Well, think again.
Now, in the grand scheme of things, the show as we knew it is over. The three-season series, which hailed from South Korea, finally ended as part of the 2025 TV schedule. We saw the rise and fall of certain characters, the expansion of LGBTQ+ representation in the show, and how Gi-hun faced off against the Recruiter in Season 2, ultimately falling apart in Season 3 – it was epic.
The finale was sad in many ways, but that might not really be the end of Squid Game. In fact, numerous rumors have circulated that an American version of the show is in development. Although nothing has been confirmed, considerable speculation and chatter has surrounded it. Let's talk about what's been said so far.
Squid Game Ended With A Tease Of An American-Based Game
I think one of the biggest hints that an American-based Squid Game might happen was the actual ending of Squid Game Season 3.
There were a lot of things about the third season that fans didn't like, from the inevitable deaths of characters to how Gi-hun's story concluded. Still, a huge moment that everyone was talking about was when Cate Blanchett suddenly showed up as an American recruiter when In-ho (The Front Man) visited NYC to deliver Gi-hun's clothing to his daughter, as well as the money.
This was a significant moment that sparked numerous discussions among fans, with many speculating that it could be a potential tease for an American version of the games. However, that's not necessarily the case.
While the ending does show that the games are in America, the creator of the show, Hwang Dong-hyuk, confirmed in an interview with Variety in June 2025 that the ending does not connect to the rumored American series at all:
Actually, no, not at all. It's not related to that. All I wanted to have was just an impactful ending, and that's all that was to it. Honestly, I haven't heard officially from Netflix about David Fincher creating a Squid Game. I have heard the rumors of course though. But again, it was just the ending that I wanted for Season 3.
Which makes sense. The creator has said in the past that he really has no interest in developing spinoffs, so I doubt that he would be willing to include a whole tease for an American version that isn't even his own. This was the ending he wished for the show.
It would be shocking if Blanchett were somehow already signed on as the official recruiter for an American-based game. I'm all about Cate Blanchett's best movies, but for some reason, her in this franchise doesn't necessarily do it for me.
Either way, even if that ending wasn't exactly the tease we expected, there are other things we could point to.
In October 2024, It Was Announced That A David Fincher Spinoff Was In Development
The most significant piece of evidence that we have about an American-based Squid Game series is that it was announced to be in development by Deadline in October 2024. Academy Award-winning director David Fincher would direct the show.
At first, it seems like this might be an idea that people would be very hesitant to watch, being an American version of a highly successful and hugely popular South Korean drama series. But if it's from Fincher, I, for one, don't mind it as much as I usually would.
Fincher is responsible for bringing some of the biggest movies to Hollywood over the last few decades. When it comes to David Fincher's films, some of his best include Fight Club, Seven, Gone Girl, Zodiac, The Social Network, and many, many more.
The director has also maintained an ongoing partnership with Netflix, working on several things for them. One of my personal favorites is Mindhunter, even if it never got Season 3 (and was vastly underappreciated), where he worked as a producer and director. He was also an executive producer and director on House of Cards. He even co-created Love, Death, and Robots, one of the best adult animated series on the platform.
If Fincher were to create an American Squid Game, it might work well.
Nevertheless, no further news has been released about this series. According to What's On Netflix, rumors have been circulating that production on the show could begin in December 2025; however, this remains uncertain as of mid-July.
The Creator Has Said He Would Watch And Support It
While Hwang Dong-hyuk has said that he isn't interested in creating spinoffs, he isn't opposed to Fincher making a series. In fact, he's in full support of it.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in June 2025, the creator said that if the series were to happen, he would be the first one to watch it and click "play" the moment it dropped on the streaming platform:
I've always been a huge fan of David Fincher's work — from Se7en — and I've loved his films. So, if he were to create an American version of Squid Game, I think that would be very interesting to watch. I would definitely click on it immediately after it's released, if it were to happen.
Frankly, this is a big deal. I can't count how many times the original creators of works have been adamantly against anyone adapting it, because they're afraid the vision will become lost. So, the fact that the creator is totally open to this happening is a major green flag.
Actors Even Have Comments On How It Could Connect
Actors from Squid Game have even commented on how a spinoff like this could connect to the original.
While Gi-hun's (played by Lee Jung-jae) story has come to an end, In-ho (the Front Man, played by Lee Byung-hun) is still very much in the universe. In an interview with Radio Times in July 2025, the actor openly said that diving into In-ho's story would be a "no-brainer" because the fans want more, and there's still more story to tell with him:
The story of the spinoff would be key, though. It should be even more compelling than that of Squid Game. And I hope it deals with the backstory of In-ho, as fans are still thirsty for more….if you look closely enough, In-ho seems both surprised and bitter [about the American recruiter] When I asked director Hwang before filming that scene to double check, he did confirm that In-ho was also unaware that the game was being placed elsewhere.
Now that would be a remarkable connection – and one that would make a great deal of sense. I am here for something like that.
While it will be some time before we hear anything about this possible new show, I'm going to be champing at the bit for some latest news. I suppose I'll rewatch Squid Game until then and feel the pain all over again.
