WARNING: There are seriously so many spoilers in here, so turn back around if that’s not your vibe.
Alright, Squid Game fans, buckle up because the finale of season three just dropped a bombshell that no one saw coming — the one and only Cate Blanchett popped up in the final scene, playing a recruiter for the infamous deadly games.
Yes, you read that right: the Aussie Oscar winner is now officially part of the Squid Game universe.
So, what’s the deal with Cate’s surprise cameo? After the intense climax where Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) sacrifices himself to save the baby who ultimately wins the games, the show takes a sharp turn to downtown Los Angeles.
There, Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) is cruising in a car when he hears the unmistakable thwap of ddakji tiles hitting the ground — the same game the original Korean recruiter (Gong Yoo) used to lure players.
He looks into an alley and spots Blanchett, slicked back ponytail and all, dressed in a sharp suit, slapping a desperate man who’s clearly getting a rough introduction to the games.
The two exchange a knowing glance — a silent nod of mutual understanding — before Front Man drives away, leaving Blanchett to continue her recruitment. It’s a neat little bookend, suggesting that while the South Korean games might be over (or at least destroyed), the competition has spread internationally. Netflix is clearly hinting that Squid Game isn’t done with us yet, just shifting continents.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk spilled some tea on why Blanchett was the perfect pick for this role.
“During the shoot, [Cate] reminded me of what true talent looks like. Even with just a few looks and lines, her performance was mesmerizing,” he said to Netflix.
“She was amazing at playing ddakji. I believe she successfully flipped the ddakji with her first try, and we were able to get that one long take right away.”
Now, before you start imagining Blanchett starring in a full-blown Squid Game US spinoff, hold your horses. While Netflix hasn’t officially confirmed anything yet, accroding to Variety here are strong rumours that director David Fincher (yes, Fight Club and Mindhunter David Fincher) is developing an English-language spinoff, and Blanchett’s involvement might be a subtle teaser for that project. She’s worked with Fincher before on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, so it’s not a stretch to think she could reprise or expand her role in a future series.
This cameo also raises some intriguing questions: Have these deadly games always been a global phenomenon? Or did they move to the US after the Korean games were nearly exposed? And will the American version stick to traditional Korean games like ddakji, or will it get a distinctly American twist? Whatever the case, it’s clear that the Squid Game universe is expanding, and Cate Blanchett is front and centre to remind us that no one is safe from the games’ reach.
So, what does this mean for the future? Well, season three wraps up the original Korean storyline with a bittersweet ending — the games’ island is destroyed, Gi-hun is dead, but the baby survives, and Front Man escapes to LA. But the final glimpse of Cate Blanchett recruiting in an alleyway suggests the nightmare is far from over. Whether Netflix will greenlight the spinoff remains to be seen, but with Blanchett’s star power and Fincher’s involvement, it’s safe to say the games might just be getting started on a new stage.
Squid Game season three is streaming now on Netflix.
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