Picture Credits: Netflix / Photo by Richard Goldsch and Alamy
The main South Korean series Squid Game may be ending with season 3 in 2025, but Netflix is far from done with the IP. For a few years now, a US spinoff series has been long rumored to be in the works, so here’s a recap of everything that’s been said so far.
Before we get into it, we should say Netflix has yet to officially announce or comment on any plans for a US spin-off for Squid Game. As such, everything below is highly subject to change. They often don’t announce projects like this well in advance because things are in flux.
Of course, it makes sense for Netflix to want to continue Squid Game. After becoming one of (if not the) biggest franchises in its history, Netflix has already been plotting the show’s longevity after the mothership soon came to an end. As Netflix recently confirmed, they’ve already shot the third and final season, which will be released on Netflix in mid-2025.
Netflix has already begun some of those continuation plans with Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality series based on the show currently in production with season 2 and casting for a potential third season. We’ve also got the multiplayer mobile game set Squid Game: Unleashed, which will be released on Netflix before the end of 2024.
As one source tells us, Netflix is completely high on Squid Game, which makes sense given how much of a juggernaut that first season was. We’ve seen before that if something is successful, Netflix will try to produce spin-offs as soon as possible. Its reality series are perhaps the best examples of success, but it’s also tried a remake with Money Heist, which concluded after only a second season to a mixed reception.
Squid Game Season 2 Villain
Rumors of an English-language spin-off first came from serial scooper Jeff Sneider, who reported (via X) in April 2023, “Netflix is courting DAVID FINCHER to produce and direct an American take on SQUID GAME. No idea whether he’s engaging, but they want him to tackle this project BADLY, per multiple sources.”
Earlier this year, The Playlist reported that Dennis Kelly, a British writer and producer best known for stage plays Debris and Utopia plus movies like Matilda the Musical and Black Sea, to write.
Is Squid Game: America a remake or a spin-off? Of course, there’s an important distinction between the two, and it’s expected Squid Game: America is a full-fledged spin-off rather than a 1:1 remake.
The most recent update we got was courtesy of a listing in ProductionWeekly titling the series Squid Game: America. Furthermore, they list Master Key Production and Mini Productions as production companies in addition to Firstman Studio and Panic Productions. The listing also states Kim Ji-yeon, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Fincher, Zeus Zamani, and Rhett Giles are producers. ProductionWeekly is usually pretty reliable but all details are subject to change.
To our understanding, this is one of at least four David Fincher projects at Netflix following The Killer, released late last year. One of the projects in development is the Chinatown spin-off series, which remains in active development and “ready to go” but isn’t quite to greenlight stage, given budget concerns, we’re told. Fincher is also looking to direct another new original unannounced movie on Netflix, and we’ll hopefully have more to share this week.
Are you looking forward to Squid Game: America? Let us know in the comments.
Netflix Synopsis: "Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits -- with deadly high stakes."
