Netflix’s Squid Game is far from over. While Season 3 is set to premiere this summer, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that the brutal Squid Game universe will continue to expand with potential spin-offs.
When writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk first created Squid Game, he envisioned it as a single-season story. However, the massive success of the Netflix series led to two additional seasons, with Season 2 premiering in December last year. Now, as Season 3 approaches its June release, Hwang has hinted that the Squid Game universe could continue beyond the main storyline.
“When we were doing season one, I was saying there was never going to be another season,” Hwang told The Hollywood Reporter. “And so if the time comes, and it just so happens that I’m able to come up with a character or a different story, then maybe there might be a comeback. But I’m thinking more along the lines of a spinoff.”
The first two seasons introduced a host of compelling side characters, many of whom met their demise during the deadly games. Hwang suggested that spin-offs could explore untold stories or expand on characters’ pasts. He specifically pointed out the three-year gap between Seasons 1 and 2 as an opportunity for storytelling.
“There’s a three-year gap. So, for example, what was the Front Man doing during those three years?” Hwang pondered. “What was the Recruiter doing? When I have some downtime, I like to just toss some ideas around and go wild with my imagination. So I guess we can be open to anything.”
While the direction of future projects remains unclear, Hwang confirmed that Netflix is committed to expanding the franchise. Whether he remains involved beyond an advisory role is uncertain, but he acknowledged Netflix’s dedication to the series.
“I know Netflix has a plan. They are not going to throw this idea away,” Hwang said in an interview with TheWrap last December. Currently, David Finger is developing an English-language adaptation of the series, and Netflix has already dabbled in expanding the Squid Game brand with Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality competition show that premiered in 2023.
“Maybe I’ll be in one of those projects as an advisor or co-creator. Who knows?” Hwang added. “But Season 3 is not going to be the end of the Squid Game universe.”
Netflix recently released the first batch of promotional images for Squid Game Season 3, which is scheduled to premiere on June 27. As fans await the highly anticipated continuation, the possibility of spin-offs ensures that the deadly games—and the gripping stories behind them—are far from over.
