SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers for the Squid Game Season 3 finale.
Netflix’s global phenomenon, Squid Game, has concluded its intense three-season run, delivering a finale packed with resolution for its main characters and a jaw-dropping surprise that has viewers buzzing: a cameo from two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett.
The final scene of Season 3 takes a sudden turn, transporting viewers to downtown Los Angeles. Here, the enigmatic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), the overseer of the deadly games, is stopped at a traffic light. Through his window, he observes a familiar and unsettling sight: a woman playing the traditional Korean game of ddakji with a seemingly desperate man in a nearby alleyway.
This pivotal moment reveals the woman to be none other than Cate Blanchett. Far from a casual bystander, she embodies an LA-based recruiter for the games, mirroring the character who first drew protagonist Gi-hun into the deadly competition. The scene underscores her character’s skill, with reports highlighting her “considerable ddakji skills” and delivering a “mean, full-wind-up slap” to her opponent. As the Front Man drives away, Blanchett looks up, exchanges a knowing nod with him, and then returns her focus to her recruit, who eagerly insists on another round. “As you wish,” she responds with a chilling smirk.
A Cameo That Expands the Universe
Blanchett’s high-profile appearance is far more than just a celebrity drop-in; it’s a significant narrative twist that explicitly “seeds” a potential American storyline and vastly expands the Squid Game universe. Her presence confirms industry speculation about the future of the franchise, suggesting the deadly games are not confined to Korea but are a pervasive, perhaps global, phenomenon.
Landing an actress of Blanchett’s caliber, known for her careful project selection and work with renowned auteurs, lends “instant artistic heft” to whatever comes next for the Squid Game saga. This aligns with her previous comments about being open to engaging in serialized storytelling for the right project.
What the Future Holds: Spin-off or Conclusion?
While the cameo strongly implies an American expansion, the creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has offered a nuanced perspective. He reportedly stated that he “taken a lot of care in closing this story,” suggesting that Season 3 is intended as the final chapter for the main Squid Game narrative centered on Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and his struggle against the Front Man’s dehumanizing philosophy.
However, Hwang has also publicly stated he is open to the possibility of a spin-off, even if he has no immediate plans for a fourth main season. This makes the Blanchett cameo, which shows the recruitment game operating in the U.S., feel very much like a deliberate tease or even a foundational setup for an English-language adaptation or spin-off.
Adding another layer of speculation, there were previous reports that director David Fincher was developing an English-language Squid Game series for Netflix, though official confirmation from the streamer remains pending.
A Legacy of Success
The show’s immense global success further fuels the likelihood of expanding the franchise. Squid Game made history at the Emmys as the first non-English language series to win major awards, and Season 2 earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series – Drama. The series has maintained staggering viewership numbers, with Season 2 recording 192.6 million views and Season 1 reaching 265.2 million views according to Netflix data.
Season 3 itself raised the show’s intense anti-capitalist themes to extreme levels, navigating the physical and philosophical battle between Gi-hun, determined to end the games, and the Front Man, seeking to break Gi-hun’s faith in humanity.
With the main story arc seemingly complete and a major Oscar winner’s cameo opening the door to new possibilities, the Squid Game universe appears poised for continuation, potentially on American soil, ensuring the game’s chilling premise lives on.
