Four rumored Squid Game spin-offs may take Netflix’s hit global. From USA to 1987, here’s what we know about the possible cinematic universe!
What started as a dark Korean survival thriller might just be turning into a full-blown franchise. Whispers began swirling in early January 2025 after a curious image started making the rounds online. It was of an alleged slide from a “Squid Game Cinematic Universe” presentation.
The now-viral photo teased a lineup of supposed future releases like Squid Game USA, Squid Game 1987, and even Squid Game World. These were all supposed to spread out across the next few years. Was Netflix truly prepping its own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with death games instead of superheroes? Let’s find out.
The Squid Game Cinematic Universe slide looked real enough to convince fans for a hot minute. It showcased logos, premiere seasons, and even a timeline that mapped out the next half-decade. It mimicked the style of major franchise rollouts, like Marvel’s big Comic-Con reveals or DC’s old movie slates.
According to The Tab, the image searches led back to fan pages and meme accounts. There was no Netflix logo, and it was neither officially confirmed by Netflix. Though at first it was angled to seem like a secret leak. However, without any proof, the internet quickly called it fan-made and fake.
Yet that doesn’t mean the idea is fiction. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk has been planting seeds for a larger universe for quite some time. In previous interviews (including a sit-down with What’s on Netflix), he’s hinted at offshoots, parallel versions, and new stories happening beyond Korea.
“I actually had this faint ideation about possibly a spinoff — not a sequel, but maybe a spinoff about the three-year gap between season one and season two, when Gi-hun [Lee Jung-jae] looks around for the recruiters. ‘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,” Hwang asserted to Entertainment Weekly.
Even according to the 2024 Deadline report, Netflix is indeed shaping a Western iteration of Squid Game, possibly with Mindhunter director David Fincher steering the wheel. While Hwang told The Korea Times there won’t be a Season 4 of the original, the saga isn’t ending just yet. Instead, it’s relocating.
That Cate Blanchett Finale Cameo in Squid Game Season 3? It Might Be the Start of Something Big
In the explosive Squid Game Season 3 finale, a chilling new recruiter appeared on screen. The final moments took fans to Los Angeles, where a mysterious woman challenged a man to ddakji in a dark alleyway. That woman was none other than Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett.
After a swift slap and a signature red envelope, the camera panned to Front Man In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), watching from a nearby car. Their eye contact said it all that something new is brewing. This moment confirmed two things: Gi-hun’s story has closed, and the Game is very much alive elsewhere.
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