You actually wish to play a spherical of ddakji proper now?! As much as you, however it is best to undoubtedly cease studying right away if you happen to’re not caught up on the total third and ultimate season of “Squid Sport,” together with the ultimate moments of the collection finale. Spoilers forward!
In October of 2024, we realized that David Fincher, one of many sharpest and most revered administrators of his era, is “quietly working” on a spin-off of “Squid Game,” Hwang Dong-hyuk’s wildly common South Korean collection that grew to become a global sensation when it hit the streamer again in 2021. Now that the unique present has concluded after three seasons (the third season dropped on Netflix on June 27, 2025), we’re undoubtedly going to see the “Squid Sport” universe preserve increasing additional and additional; even past Fincher’s alleged mission, we might get a prequel in some unspecified time in the future or, say, a spin-off centered round a significant character like Lee Byung-hun’s Entrance Man. With all of that stated, we acquired a cameo within the collection finale of “Squid Sport” that positive looks like it is an enormous clue a couple of spin-off — one that may tie on to Fincher.
In case you’ve watched “Squid Sport,” you probably bear in mind Gong Yoo’s character, who’s recognized solely as The Recruiter; he is a smiling but seemingly soulless man who travels all through Seoul and maybe everything of South Korea to seek out individuals who desperately want cash. The Recruiter performs a recreation of ddakji along with his victims, and after they inevitably lose, they’re supplied the prospect to compete within the video games.
Nicely, Gong Yoo’s model of this character dies in season 2 of “Squid Sport,” so somebody has to interchange him. Stunningly, that particular somebody is Cate Blanchett, a two-time Oscar profitable actor who’s thought-about by many to be top-of-the-line dwelling performers. We see her ever-so-briefly enjoying ddakji with gamers and exchanging a look with Lee’s Entrance Man, the pinnacle honcho of the video games, and Blanchett is not right here by chance. Actually, her look very probably signifies that Fincher’s collection will function her prominently.
Cate Blanchett’s look might be a hyperlink to David Fincher — nevertheless it’s additionally an enormous deal
It is not an understatement to say that casting somebody of Cate Blanchett’s caliber in a “Squid Sport” collection could be huge for the budding franchise, and it additionally factors squarely at David Fincher helming the mission that options her. Why? Nicely, the 2 labored collectively on the F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” in 2008, which additionally stars Brad Pitt, Taraji P. Henson, and Tilda Swinton. (Come to think about it, Swinton would make a nice recruiter too, however I suppose we’ll all should accept Blanchett.)
Blanchett, in case you want a refresher, gained her first Academy Award for her supporting flip in Martin Scorsese’s 2004 biopic “The Aviator,” the place she performed Katharine Hepburn reverse Leonardo DiCaprio’s Howard Hughes, and her second for her starring position in Woody Allen’s 2013 tackle “A Streetcar Named Want,” “Blue Jasmine.” She’s additionally part of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise because the highly effective elf queen Galadriel, has performed Queen Elizabeth I twice on display screen (in 1998’s “Elizabeth” and its 2007 sequel, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”), and has appeared in critically adored movies like “Carol,” Marvel films (“Thor: Ragnarok”), pleasant legacy sequels like “Ocean’s 8,” and the gorgeous drama “Tár,” which earned her yet one more Oscar nod in 2022. (She’s additionally a giant fan of “I Suppose You Ought to Depart with Tim Robinson” primarily based on her casual mention of considered one of its area of interest jokes on Marc Maron’s podcast “WTF,” which is necessary to me personally.)
Level is, Blanchett is one of the most beloved and revered actors on the planet, and it positive looks like she’s signing on to do a “Squid Sport” collection together with her former director David Fincher. If this involves move, it means massive, massive issues for the whole tv universe.
We nonetheless do not know a lot about David Fincher’s deliberate Squid Sport spin-off, however the collection finale provides us some clues
A “Squid Sport” spin-off directed by David Fincher and led by Cate Blanchett could be appropriately big, and I say “appropriately” as a result of “Squid Sport” grew to become one of many largest reveals on the planet after it dropped on Netflix. Actual-world experiences popped as much as let followers “play” within the video games for themselves, Netflix created a reality show called “Squid Game: The Challenge” the place gamers competed for an enormous money prize (however fortunately did not die within the course of), and I can say from expertise that I noticed multiple bar promoting “Dalgona sweet video games” after gamers needed to carve up the Korean delicacy on-screen in season 1.
In a world the place each piece of mental property is mined for as a lot content material as potential, there is no actuality the place “Squid Sport” ends after season 3 and easily fades away. We’re getting extra tales set on this notably disturbing, miserable, and dystopian world, whether or not we prefer it or not. With that stated, if folks like Fincher and Blanchett are concerned, followers may be in for a wild — and well-executed, if you happen to’ll excuse the pun — journey.
“Squid Sport” is streaming in its entirety on Netflix now.
