Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Squid Game season 3!Squid Gameseason 3 saw the conclusion of Gi-hun’s second time in the games, with the success of the Netflix series making its future unsurprising. When season 1 of the survival thriller first premiered, it became an international hit for the platform. As of writing,season 1 is the streamer’s most popular non-English language season of television ever, boasting over 2.2 billion hours watched from 265.2 million people worldwide. Season 2 follows suit as the second most-watched, sporting 1.38 billion hours from 192.6 million people.Squid Gameseason 3is gearing up to follow this trend.
Season 3 follows theend ofSquid Gameseason 2, whereinGi-hun failed in his rebellion against the Front Man. In the process of trying to revolt, the main antagonist kills his best friend, Jung-bae, right in front of him. This leads into the rest of the events of season 3, where Gi-hun and the other majorcharacters inSquid Gameare forced to continue participating. As the show carries on and beloved players are killed off, it becomes apparent the story is coming to a close. But with that closure also comes a new approach to the show’s future.
Squid Game Season 3 Is The Last One
Season 3 Was Already Confirmed To Be The Final Season
Even before it came out,Squid Gameseason 3 was already confirmed to be the final installmentin the Korean thriller TV show. Prior to the release of season 2, Netflix announced the show would be coming to a close after season 3. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk wrote and filmed seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back, with both seasons initially being planned as a single-season follow-up. Hwang confirmed before season 2 came out that he had decided where it was best to split up the episodes, resulting in the trilogy of seasons Netflix released.
Season 3’s focus also made it apparent the show would be ending. Much like season 2,the second round of the games focuses on the Front Man’s plan to break Gi-hunand force him to admit the immorality of humanity. However, he’s unable to waver his dedication to who he is deep down, something that eventually leads to a stunning conclusion in the final episodes. Because of how much transpires between the two and the definitive ending the series finale offers, the show telegraphs specifically that season 3 is the end of the series.
Why Squid Game Season 4 Is Not Happening
Squid Game’s popularitycaused it to climb high on Netflix’s global charts, shattering records for the platform’s non-English language TV shows in the process. It seemed inevitable that more seasons of the show would be confirmed, since the series had already proven its longevity in terms of popularity for the platform. However,the plan Hwang came up with as a follow-up could not only be told within two seasons, but also offered a finale that tied up loose ends for all the series' major characters. Continuing into a season 4 wouldn’t make sense given how the series ended.
Because seasons 2 and 3 tell a complete story that also wraps up some loose ends from season 1, it makes sense for the series to stop from going any further.
The decision to end the series after season 3 also keeps the show from going on too long, which could have made the story too predictable. This is especially the case for its focus on Gi-hun,whose definitive ending ensures the show doesn’t drag out his narrative beyond a fitting finalefor him. Because seasons 2 and 3 tell a complete story that also wraps up some loose ends from season 1, it makes sense for the series to stop from going any further. However, even though the show has concluded, the ending isn’t here yet.
Squid Game Season 3 Is Not The End Of The Franchise
An American Spinoff Is Currently In Development
AlthoughSquid Gameseason 3’s endingmakes for a definitive finale, the show’s legacy has already been cemented through other projects Netflix is creating in its stead.An American version of the show is currently in the works, with filmmaker David Fincher (The Killer, Mindhunter) attached as a producer. The series may have laid the groundwork for this in the final episode, with the Front Man watching a US Recruiter, portrayed by Cate Blanchett, playing ddakji with a man in an alleyway. Whether this is attached to the American version’s plans or not is currently unclear.
The American version of the show has also been acknowledged by Hwang himself, who is not involved in the creative process. However, he is excited to see how the new rendition plays out. This makes it unclear if the upcoming version from Fincher is going to be considered aspinoff ofSquid Game, or if the show will be a standalone remake. While it’s possible they both take place in the same universe, given the Front Man’s visit to Los Angeles at the end of season 3, the exact connection between both shows hasn’t been officially revealed yet.
In addition to the American version, Netflix also has their reality showSquid Game: The Challenge, which pitted 456 real-life players together for $4.56 million USD. Season 1 came out in 2023, withSquid Game: The Challengeseason 2renewed by the streaming platform on the day the final episodes aired. Since the reality series is ongoing, it has a chance to become a long-running staple of the streamer, something that can continue even long after the original series has concluded.
Which Other Squid Game Spinoffs Could Happen After Season 3
Hwang Dong-hyuk Has Ideas For Where The Story Goes Next
Although there aren’t any spinoffs officially in the works as of writing, Hwang has expressed interest in exploring other facets of theSquid Gameuniverse. Speaking withEntertainment Weekly, he said this includes a look at what people working for the games,such as Captain Park, were doing in the three-year stretch between seasons 1 and 2:
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. 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.
Season 3 is indeed a finale, and you’ll be able to feel that once you watch. But I’m not trying to say that I’m going to close the door to spinoffs or sequels altogether because they say never say never.
Speaking onThe Tonight Showin mid-June, Lee Byung-hun, who plays the Front Man, hinted at a possible spinoff involving his character or another important figure from the show. Whether any of these ideas will come to fruition remains unclear.
But, given the popularitySquid Gamehas amassed since late 2021, it makes sense for Netflix to want the series to continue in some capacity. While the original show procured a definitive ending for Gi-hun, there’s still plenty of potential for the series to expand into a larger franchise. With the American show andSquid Game: The Challengeseason 2 confirmed, the end of the original show might just be the start of a bigger narrative that will unfold as new shows get developed.
