For better or worse, Squid Game USA is looking likely, with Mindhunter’s David Fincher at the helm and Hwang Dong-hyuk even revealing his top pick for the lead. But with rumors and speculation swirling around, here’s a breakdown of what’s actually on the table.
Squid Game Season 3 brought the flagship series to a gut-wrenching, brutal end, cementing itself as Netflix’s most successful non-English series of all time. Yes, it’s divisive, but what groundbreaking TV show plays it safe?
Dong-hyuk has revealed that Seong Gi-hun’s (Lee Jung-jae) fate nearly turned out very differently, but he chose to stick to his guns to drive home the final message of the Netflix series: the importance of sacrifice.
Right at the end, Front Man heads to LA, where he comes across an American recruiter (Cate Blanchett). While Dong-hyuk has confirmed this was not linked to an English-language Squid Game, a US version of the show is potentially on the horizon.
Is Squid Game USA happening?
NetflixIn short, we don’t know. Netflix hasn’t officially given Squid Game USA the greenlight, but given the show’s success, it’s more of a case of when rather than if.
One thing we do know is that it won’t be written by Dong-hyuk. He’s done with the show (in fact, he only originally intended to make one season of Squid Game but was brought back due to fan demand).
In October 2024, sources told Deadline that David Fincher had been brought on to develop an English-language version, saying the “Squid Game series is likely the project Fincher commits his time to in 2025.”
Again, nothing has been confirmed. But don’t be surprised if the Minderhunter creator is attached in any future announcements from the streaming service.
Who would be in the cast?
NetflixFirstly, let’s state the obvious: if Squid Game USA goes ahead, Cate Blanchett would likely play the American version of The Salesman (Gong Yoo), as she is portrayed at the end of Season 3.
Dong-hyuk told THR that the intention of this reveal was never to set up a spinoff, but instead to highlight the issues of “limitless competition and the system that’s created in late capitalism.”
“I wanted to leave it on a note highlighting the fact that these systems, even if one comes down, it’s not easy to dismantle the whole system – it will always repeat itself. That’s why I wanted to end it with an American recruiter,” he explained.
Even so, it would make total sense for Blanchett to return if Squid Game USA moves forward. Her character wouldn’t be a lead, and casting an Oscar-winning actress to echo Yoo’s memorable performance would be a smart way to honor the original.
Leonardo DiCaprio is Squid Game creator’s top pick
Instagram: @from_jjleeAs for Gi-hun’s American counterpart, Dong-hyuk knows who he’d pick if he had to choose: Leonardo DiCaprio.
Speaking to the rest of the cast in a Q&A session on Variety, he highlighted the fact that there were plenty of rumors that DiCaprio would be making a cameo in Season 3, which never came to fruition.
When asked if DiCaprio would portray Front Man or a player in this hypothetical scenario, Dong-hyuk said, “I think he’d do well as a player. Lately, he’s gotten good at loser roles like Gi-hun’s.”
Rumors about DiCaprio appearing in the thriller series started circulating after the release of Season 2, with Korean news outlet OSEN saying the Oscar-winner would be making a cameo.
Alongside the chatter, a photo of Jung-jae with DiCaprio resurfaced, as well as reports that DiCaprio had praised Squid Game at a Netflix event. But the streaming service quickly shut it down, saying it’s “false”.
However, if a US version goes ahead, there’s no reason DiCaprio couldn’t be cast in the lead role. It would mark a major switch-up for the actor, who’s famously steered clear of television for the better part of his career.
Aside from early soap opera and sitcom stints, DiCaprio has spent decades building a résumé of big-screen titles, so starring in a TV show like Squid Game USA could be his most unexpected turn yet.
That said, he’s already reportedly in talks to team up with Fincher for a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel – for Netflix, FYI – so the pair collaborating on another twisted tale doesn’t feel too far-fetched.
How a Squid Game USA could work
NetflixSome fans have argued that Squid Game’s premise wouldn’t translate to an American setting, pointing to the uniquely Korean childhood games. But let’s not pretend hopscotch, tag, and dodgeball haven’t left millions of American knees skinned over the years.
In truth, the US has no shortage of innocent playground games that could take a deadly turn with Fincher at the wheel. Duck Duck Goose with real stakes? Four Square with traps? The possibilities are endless.
One Redditor wrote about the prospect of an English-language version, “Hate on me as much as you want if you think otherwise, but I am NOT gonna watch that. It just seems so unfitting. Korean childhood games getting played by Americans to survive just seems so odd.”
However, another user pointed out, “I think it’s safe to assume that an American Squid Game show would feature American games and themes.
“I mean several of the games featured are not specific to Korean culture. Red light, green light, tug of war, marbles, hide and seek, and jump rope were played by American kids as well. There is an equivalent to Gonggi as well called Jacks…
“There are plenty of reasons why the Squid Game equivalent in the USA would still use Ddakji as a recruitment tool. It’s a simple game that can be taught in less than a minute. It’s also deceivingly difficult.”
Until we find out more, Squid Game Seasons 1-3 are streaming on Netflix now. Read more about why the show is “dangerous” for North Korea, how Hide and Seek breaks an unwritten rule, the secret meaning behind the show’s shapes, and why there won’t be a Season 4. You can also find more new TV shows streaming this month.
