SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - The final moments of Netflix drama series Squid Game's highly anticipated third season have ignited speculation about an American spinoff, especially following a surprise appearance by veteran actress Cate Blanchett. But according to series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, while the cliffhanger ending was designed to leave an impression, it was not intended to launch a new franchise, at least not by the South Korean director.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on June 30 (local time), Hwang clarified that he did not write the ending to intentionally open the door for a future installment. Still, he expressed enthusiasm for the idea of another director exploring the universe, especially if it were helmed by someone he admires.
"Honestly, nothing has been said to me officially by Netflix about this. I’ve only read it in articles myself as well," he told the magazine. "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 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."
Hwang, who spoke to the magazine while promoting the third and final season of Squid Game, explained that the Blanchett cameo as a Los Angeles-based recruiter for an American-style version of the games was written for dramatic weight, not franchise building. "I didn’t end it on that note in order to deliberately leave room for further stories to happen," he said. "Gi-hun and Front Man, through these characters, the Games in South Korea have ended."
In the show’s final scene, Blanchett’s character shares a cold, calculated glance with the Front Man, played by popular South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, suggesting the games may have spread beyond South Korea’s borders. While fans were quick to connect this to circulating reports about a Fincher-led American adaptation, Hwang insisted the story was about something more fundamental.
"Because this story started out with me wanting to tackle issues about the 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," Hwang said.
In the same interview, Hwang opened up about changing the original ending, which would have seen protagonist Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, survive and reunite with his daughter in the United States. "I thought the person who witnesses the American recruiter woman would be Gi-hun," he said. But as the story evolved, Hwang decided a symbolic sacrifice would deliver a more powerful message.
"I thought, 'What kind of sacrifices do we need to make in the current generation for us to be able to leave the future generation with a better world?' So I wanted Gi-hun’s sacrifice to be a symbol of that." As of now, Netflix has not commented on any future developments tied to Squid Game.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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