Why 'Squid Game' Season 3 Might Not Be Its Last After All

Elle

27-06-2025

It might have been billed as its third and final outing, but it looks as though hopes of future Squid Game spin-offs are high after the season three finale appeared to leave room for future series.
Squid Game's creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, seemed to leave room in an interview, per the Korean Times, for future series. 'I have considered the idea of a spin-off. There were moments during production when I grew curious myself,' he said, adding, 'After watching season three, some may think there's room for a season four, while others may feel there's no need for one.'
In an earlier interview, Dong-hyuk also suggested that, if a Squid Game spin-off does get greenlit, he has some ideas in mind. Speaking to reporters at the 2025 Gotham Television Awards, Dong-hyuk noted, 'If I make [a] spin-off, it will be a story happening between season one and two. There [was] a three-year gap between season one and two. So, I want to show what they did for those times.'
Speaking at a press conference in London, Dong-hyuk shared his reservations about the ending he'd concocted for the Squid Game universe in its third outing, but those doubts were superseded by the praise steeped on the writer/director by the show's cast.
'I thought that director Huang's decision that he had made... he was very determined,' Lee Jung-jae said. 'I'm sure that he went through a lot of internal debate and struggles because, as we all know, this series has been just hugely successful. So when it's a story that big, how do you bring that to a close as director, writer and creator? And especially for a character like Gi-hun, where do you take him?
'And so I know that he listened to a lot of other people's ideas as well, we would have discussions among ourselves, among the cast. He would also discuss it with me and the crew as well, but I believe that director Hwang came up with the most adequate, the most unpredictable, the most meaningful and the most intriguing and entertaining ending possible.
'So personally, I am very happy with the finale and you all are going to be able to see where it all ends soon. But I can guarantee you it's not going to be what you think.'
Squid Game could have easily ended after one season. In fact, that's what the show's creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, wanted. 'I had no intention of doing a second season, because the overall process of writing, producing and directing the series was so challenging. I didn't think to do another one,' he told Variety. (He even reportedly lost several teeth from stress.) And yet, because the Hollywood IP machine never rests, Netflix squeezed not only one but two more seasons out of him.
He first had the idea for Squid Game 15 years ago, for a two-hour film that never saw the light of day, according to the Associated Press. He later brought the idea for a series to Netflix, where it really took off. After all this time, it must be satisfying to bring the story to a proper close. 'I learned that I shouldn't give up. If you love something and if you want to create something, it might not work now, but the time might come later. Or that idea could be the source of inspiration for something else,' Hwang told AP.
Squid Game season three is available to stream on Netflix now.
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Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.