‘Solo Leveling' Breaks Its Final Crunchyroll Record; Season 3 Status
Solo Leveling
While we've seen many hugely popular anime offerings in the past few years, now, we seem to have landed on one that is simply bigger than all the rest, for better or worse.
That is Solo Leveling, and Sony has announced that the two seasons of the anime are not the most-viewed of all time on its Crunchyroll streaming service. This was revealed during its Business Segment Presentation & Fireside Chat for 2025, where a document within that said Solo Leveling was 'ranked #1 in Crunchyroll View Count History (as of the end of March 2025).'
So that was several months ago, and in the wake of the season 2 finale, which aired on March 29. That record was set immediately after, it seems.
The idea that Solo Leveling was the most-watched anime on the service has been a theory for a while, given that the series had become the most-reviewed on Crunchyroll, more so that even endless seasons of One Piece and that seemed like a strong hint that would be the case.
Well, it's one of the biggest animes ever already, so season 3 must be around the corner, right? Wrong. In what seems like a baffling development to some, there is no official news about Solo Leveling season 3, even if it seems like an inevitability. Those behind the show are even waffling about whether it continues, though I'm not sure I believe that.
Solo Leveling
What's going on? There are some ideas, and they mostly have to do with how the animation industry works. I found this informative take by u/electrical_chance991 a month ago in the Solo Leveling subreddit:
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'A1 pictures didn't expect SL to explode as big as they did, the staff members prob signed other contracts and projects even before SL aired, their work is booked for years. So it makes sense why the producer said it'll take up to 2028.'
'They don't wanna rush it out or change the studio, they want the same team to come back and that might take some time. But I'm sure now they're thinking of long term, I doubt after season 3 we will see any major breaks like this. They will be well prepared.'
That does make sense, as it would have been hard to predict success at this level, and it is not abnormal for animes to take long breaks between seasons. But the success of the show would create some urgency, though there does not appear to be a way around the current situation. As the post says, the hope would be that this wouldn't happen a second time now that they know how big the series is. But it will be years until season 3 gets here, Crunchyroll record or not.
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Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
‘Squid Game' Front Man Actor Lee Byung-Hun Shares New BTS Details
Lee Byung-hun Today most audiences around the world probably recognize Lee Byung-hun for his role as the Front Man in Netflix's blockbuster series Squid Game. But before he donned the infamous black mask, Lee was already one of South Korea's most prominent and accomplished actors, having starred in iconic Korean films and TV shows like Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life, I Saw the Devil, All In, Iris and Mr. Sunshine—just to name a few. He also appeared in several Hollywood films, including Terminator Genisys, The Magnificent Seven, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Known for his smooth, distinctive voice as well as his ability to portray a wide range of characters, Lee has earned numerous acting accolades throughout his career. Now, more than three decades after his acting debut, the veteran actor has gained even greater international recognition thanks to the unprecedented success of Squid Game. Since starring in Netflix's biggest show ever, Lee has made guest appearances on a variety of popular YouTube channels and talks shows in the U.S., including most recently The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he (sort of) dropped hints about Squid Game season 3. Audiences will need to wait till June 27th to find out exactly what happens in the third and final season of Squid Game, but in the meantime, Lee spoke with Forbes about playing the triple role of the Front Man/Hwang In-ho/Oh Young-il, why he felt so much pressure while promoting the show, and the impact that Squid Game has had on his career. He also shared insights into some of the scenes from season 2 to help viewers better understand his character. Regina Kim: How did you come to play the Front Man in Squid Game? Lee Byung-hun: For starters, I already had a connection with Director Hwang Dong-hyuk because we'd worked together on the film The Fortress a few years prior, so we knew each other very well. I got the offer while I was filming the drama Mr. Sunshine. He told me the role would appear onscreen very briefly and would require only about a week's worth of work, so because of my relationship with the director, I agreed to do it. And that's how it started. Kim: I'm guessing that at the time, no one expected Squid Game to become such a massive hit, right? Lee: I think I received the script for the first six episodes initially. And after reading it, I thought it was very fresh, unique and fun. But at the same time, I also thought it might be too experimental. I thought it could either do extremely well or be received very poorly by audiences. It felt like a risky piece of work. But I don't think anyone—even the director—expected it to become such a globally beloved show and a huge sensation. Kim: Regarding the role of the Front Man, did the director specifically want a very famous actor like you for that part? When the Front Man takes off his mask in season 1, I imagine a lot of viewers were shocked to see that it was Lee Byung-hun. But honestly, from the moment I heard the Front Man's voice, I had a hunch it was you behind the mask, and I turned out to be right. Lee: (surprised) Wait, you really recognized me just from my voice? Kim: Yes! Lee: Wow… Well, I think at first, they probably didn't plan on casting a well-known actor for the Front Man role. But maybe for some reason the director thought of me and offered me the part. From my perspective as an actor, even though it was just a brief cameo appearance (in season 1), I still needed to understand the character and his backstory—who this person is, what kind of life he's lived, and why he's doing what he's doing—in order to portray him properly. So I ended up asking the director a lot of questions. I usually ask directors a lot of questions anyway, but when it comes to cameos, I ask even more because there's so little information given about cameos. With main characters, you usually know their background, personality and all that, but with cameos, there's not enough information, which is why I had to ask [Director Hwang] so many questions. He might've regretted casting me because I asked so many questions. (laughs) Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game' season 2 Kim: But at the time, there were no plans for a second season, right? Lee: Exactly. After filming season 1, since the director and I are personally close, we had a meal together, and I told him, "You've worked really hard." He said it was his first time doing a TV series, and he never wanted to do anything like that again. Kim: The director said that? Lee: Yeah. He said it almost killed him. He told me he lost seven teeth from all the stress during production. Kim: Wasn't it nine teeth? Lee: Adding the two more he lost during season 2, it became nine. It was seven for season 1. So at the time, he said he was completely against doing another season. He had absolutely no thoughts about creating a second season. But then, as Squid Game received so much love around the world and people around him were constantly urging him to make a second season, he finally decided to do it. I think that shows what an incredible person he is—to go from having absolutely nothing planned for a future story, and then managing to create something that entertaining—that shows just how remarkably talented he is. So in that regard, I was really surprised too. Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game' S2 Kim: In season 2 the Front Man plays a much more important role, so does that mean that the director thought it would be better to focus more on your character this time around? Lee: While I was filming the drama Our Blues on Jeju Island, Director Hwang—he had already decided to go ahead with Squid Game season 2—came to visit me and chat a bit. I asked him, 'What's season 2 going to be about?' And he said, 'Honestly, there's nothing in my head right now.' So I asked, 'Could it maybe be about how In-ho (the Front Man) first entered the games and what it looked like back then?' He said that he too was thinking of heading in that direction. But a lot changed after that, and instead of a story about the past, the narrative shifted into something that takes place in the present. So I was really surprised when that happened. Also, the fact that Hwang In-ho would personally enter the games using a fake name like Oh Young-il—I thought that was a really fresh idea. The Front Man ending up participating in the games was surprising even for me. Lee Byung-hun Kim: With Squid Game season 1 being such a huge global hit, did you feel any pressure while filming season 2? Lee: Honestly, I didn't feel that much pressure while filming. Feeling pressure while acting isn't really a good thing. You need to feel free in order to better express emotions and bring out your best performance. So there wasn't any pressure during filming, but once it was all over and we started promoting the season, that's when I felt a lot of pressure. Kim: Really? Why? Lee: Because for other Korean projects, there's usually some promotional work involved like appearing on some programs and doing interviews with journalists, but the scale isn't this big. For Squid Game promotions, we went to L.A. and New York, and other cast members even went to Italy and other places. Everywhere we go, so many journalists are waiting to interview us. And as part of the promotions, there are things I've never experienced before, like YouTube shows, morning broadcasts, talk shows and so on. So that kind of stuff actually gave me more pressure than the filming itself. Lee Byung-hun Kim: I see. What was your favorite scene from season 2? Lee: If we were to focus on my character, then two scenes stand out for me personally. One was during the Mingle game, when I drag Jung-bae into a room. There are supposed to be two people per room, but one person is already there. It's a moment when my character has to kill the other person, and it's a situation that demands quick judgment and action. It was a moment when I had to show the Front Man, the decisiveness and reflexes of In-ho when he was a player in the games, and also appear as Young-il to Jung-bae. I felt I had to constantly switch between all three personas in that scene. Viewers are familiar with all three of those characters, but I wanted them to feel a sense of confusion—like, of those three personas, whose eyes are they really looking at in that moment when I'm choking someone? I hoped viewers would feel a sense of ambiguity, so that was a significant scene for me. And the second scene was when Gi-hun tries to start a rebellion, and we're all in a meeting and listening to him speak. Then the Front Man asks him if we should sacrifice a few for the greater good. Gi-hun doesn't give a direct answer, but he responds in a way that's almost an affirmation. And if you watch the Front Man's reaction, he gives a subtle smile that no one else notices. I felt like that was the moment the Front Man had been waiting for all along, like, 'Now you, too, are starting to think a bit like me.' Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il (Player 001) in 'Squid Game' S2 Kim: In a sense, you played three different characters, which must have been really tough. Were there certain things you tried to keep in mind as you were portraying those three characters? Lee: I had a lot of conversations with the director for every scene. We were constantly discussing things back and forth while filming. For example, during the six-legged pentathlon game, when my character's cheering or feeling nervous along with the other players—it's all pretend, right? But the Front Man is someone who's experienced the depths of despair, so from his perspective, I wondered if someone like him—no matter how good an actor he may be—could really show that kind of pure joy, that kind of cheering. (L to R) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Kang Ha-neul as Kang Dae-ho, ... More Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae, Jo Yu-ri as Kim Jun-hee in 'Squid Game' S2 The director and I had differing opinions on such moments, and we spent a lot of time debating them. When I first acted those scenes, I took a very subtle approach. I just tried to blend in with the other players so I wouldn't stand out too much, because I have to come across as an ordinary person to the others and make them believe that I'm on their side and part of their team. So that's the kind of performance I aimed for initially. But then the director said, 'Could you show just a bit more?' So I tried adding a little more, but then told the director, 'I don't feel good acting like this—it feels weird.' But when I looked at the monitor, I thought, 'Okay, this is actually kind of fun.' So I eventually decided to just go with it—like maybe just as In-ho did in the past, I should enjoy it, too. Even though the Front Man has a bigger objective behind all this, I should allow myself to feel the tension when others feel tense and celebrate with my teammates when our team survives. To just have fun in that moment, as if I've been hypnotized. That's the mindset I adopted for those scenes. But finding the right balance was really difficult. The conversations I had the most with the director were about how much of these emotions—how much joy, sorrow and tension—I should express. And [figuring that out] was the hardest part for me. Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game' Kim: When the Front Man disguised himself as Oh Young-il and entered the games, do you think that he envied Gi-hun or maybe even wanted to be friends with him, even for a moment? Lee: Hmm... I never thought he wanted to be friends [with Gi-hun]. I think the emotions the Front Man felt while observing Gi-hun might have been something like this: They've both experienced a hellish period in their lives and have come out winners. I was a winner in the past. Gi-hun is also a winner. So he might have wondered, 'How could someone who went through the same thing as me end up with beliefs that are the complete opposite of mine?' Gi-hun still believes that these people aren't garbage, that there's still hope in humanity. I think maybe the Front Man could've felt a bit of jealousy watching Gi-hun be that way. 'I became this pessimistic person because of my experience, but why do you still have faith in humanity?' There's a bit of jealousy in that thought—like, I couldn't stay that way, but you did. But while playing the game together and pretending to be on the same team, maybe somewhere deep inside, there was a part of him that genuinely wished Gi-hun was right. 'Yeah, I still believe people are trash, but I really hope you're right. I hope human decency still exists in this world.' (L to R) Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk in 'Squid Game' S2 Kim: During the 'spinning top' game, your character—who is left-handed—deliberately throws the top with his right hand at first. But later he uses his left hand. Why did your character initially try to fail on purpose? Because he could've died too! Lee: Well, if you look at the Front Man's life, he's already become indifferent to death. I don't think living or dying is a big deal to him anymore. He's not someone who's desperately clinging to life. And maybe, in the worst-case scenario, the Front Man has a secret way out—something only he knows. (laughs) Kim: Really? But still, it was a game where he was grouped with other people. Lee: But even in a worst-case scenario, he could still have a hidden way to survive. When he purposely threw with his right hand—I actually asked the director about that, too. I asked, 'Where does this behavior come from?' And the director replied, 'In the end, wouldn't it just be for enjoyment?' Watching the clock and feeling the emotions of his fellow players as they come closer to death—it was a moment for him to really experience those feelings. He was creating a situation where they could truly think, 'I might actually die.' (L to R) Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Lee ... More Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in 'Squid Game' S2 Kim: Later on, when Gi-hun leads a rebellion, the Front Man helps him and even kills many of the pink guards, although they're technically on his side. Why does he do that? Lee: Of course, I asked the director about that too. Why wouldn't I? I mean, I'm probably the actor who asks the most questions in the world. And even the director was at a loss. He was like, 'Hmm, you do have a point.' So in the end, we decided that the only guard he'd kill was the one who was struggling with Gi-hun and trying to shoot him. All the other shots were just for show—he fired them into the air on purpose. That's what we decided. So while it looks like he's aiming and shooting accurately, in reality, he's intentionally not hitting the other soldiers, with that one exception. As for sparing Gi-hun, whether he lives or dies doesn't matter to the Front Man. What matters is that Gi-hun reaches the same realization that the Front Man himself had. That's the Front Man's true goal. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12: Participants and guests attend the Los Angeles Premiere & Fan ... More Event for Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2 at Los Angeles City College on December 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Netflix) Kim: You're a veteran actor who's starred in many Korean films and TV shows, and also appeared in some Hollywood movies. When you look at all your work collectively, what does Squid Game mean to you within the context of your career? Lee: I think it'll take time for me to really understand what Squid Game means to me or what kind of place it holds in my career. Because I'm still in the middle of it right now, it's hard for me to define what this show means to me. But what I can say is that it's been a very new experience for me. The success of Squid Game goes beyond breaking records or being a show that people like—it feels like a phenomenon or movement. And being right in the middle of that has given me so many new experiences. As you said, I've been acting for a very long time and have had many different experiences, but I've realized that there are still works out there that can make me feel something entirely new. When I first went to Los Angeles to promote Squid Game, there was this one event with about 2,000 Squid Game fans all wearing green tracksuits and standing outside a stadium and cheering. I've been part of various Hollywood projects before—not many, but a few—but I'd never seen anything like that. And to be welcomed like that for a Korean project—a work from my own country—was a deeply moving experience. I thought to myself, 'Wow, something like this is happening in my acting career. Maybe I'm working as an actor during a really significant moment in history.' This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Many thanks to Lee Byung-hun for taking the time to chat about Squid Game! Squid Game season 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27th.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
New Spider-Man Series Resolves Decades-Old Cliffhanger
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors The popular 1990s cartoon "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" infamously ended on a huge cliffhanger. Now, thirty years after the show's conclusion, Marvel Comics is finally resolving that story with the limited series "Spider-Man '94". First look at #SpiderMan '94. A 4-issue comic series that will follow up from the cliffhanger of the '90s Spider-Man animated series. Written by J.M. DeMatteis with art by Jim Towe — Screen Rant (@screenrant) June 18, 2025 Read More: Captain Kirk Back From the Dead in New 'Star Trek' Series The artist of "Spider-Man '94" is Jim Towe, while the writer is J.M. DeMattei,s who not only worked on "Spider-Man: The Animated Series," but is the author of numerous classic Marvel tales, including Spidey's own "Kraven's Last Hunt". Tom Holland as Spider-Man. Sony owns the rights to the Marvel character. Tom Holland as Spider-Man. Sony owns the rights to the Marvel character. Marvel "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" ends with Mary Jane Watson stranded in another reality and Spider-Man searching for her. This will presumably be the first thing "Spider-Man '94" needs to address. According to IGN, the official description of the series is as follows: "After searching to the ends of the Multiverse, PETER PARKER – the AMAZING, the SPECTACULAR, the RADIOACTIVE Web-Head himself – A.K.A. SPIDER-MAN, swings back into the streets of New York City with his beloved Mary Jane WATSON in tow!" "But what's this? One of these villains is not like the others: Witness this universe's debut of not one, but TWO of Spider-Man's greatest villains from the comics!" "Legendary Spider-Scribe J.M. DeMATTEIS and rising star artist JIM TOWE bring you the return you've all been waiting thirty years for! And you're never going to expect the twists and turns ahead for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!" "Break out your action figures, and post up in front of the TV as we bring you back to the greatest era of animated super hero television in history!" "The 1990s Spider-Man animated series has become a beloved part of Spidey lore—it was the introduction to Peter Parker and his universe for an entire generation—and I'm delighted to be diving back into that universe," DeMatteis told IGN. "We're treating this as the next season of the show, which means introducing new villains, new challenges, new adventures for Peter—while doing our best to remain true to the creative spirit that John Semper and Company established with the original show." While old-school fans of "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" were hoping for an animated series revival along the lines of Disney+'s hit series "X-Men '97", they'll have to settle for the next best thing. Particularly since Disney+ has moved forward with more seasons of "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," a "Spider-Man '94" animated series is unlikely to materialize. "Spider-Man '94" #1 will be available on September 3, 2025. More Comics: DC's 'Clayface' Lead Has Been Found Robert Downey Jr. Surprises 'Ironheart' Stars with Interview Appearance
Gizmodo
4 hours ago
- Gizmodo
The ‘GQuuuuuuX' Endgame Is About the Messiest Relationship in All of ‘Gundam'
What is Mobile Suit Gundam about? Sometimes, it's about cool robots. Sometimes, it's about the horrors of war. Sometimes, it's about the balance of power, and the exploitation of have-nots by the haves, a cycle of class conflict that is inextricably interwoven through the cycle of military conflict. But really, a lot of the time–especially in the series' foundational Universal Century setting–Gundam is a story about the two most divorced people to have ever not been married. And now Gundam GQuuuuuuX, in its own remixing of that timeline, is seemingly going to close out being about Char Aznable and Amuro Ray too. I've written before that GQuuuuuuX's narrative has been haunted from the very beginning by the 1979 anime's main characters. Char has been the most present of those specters, both in how the series has repeatedly flashed back to his exploits in the One Year War, to the man himself lurking in the background waiting for pieces of his plan to fall into place. Now, in GQuuuuuuX's penultimate episode, Char begins making his moves in the open, casting off his 'disguise' as Shirouzu as he makes clear to everyone around him his aims: to stop the Rose of Sharon and its mysterious alternate Lalah from inadvertently destroying reality as this 'remix' of the Universal Century has come to know it. Char and our heroes alike, however, find themselves at odds. Machu can only see the struggles of the Lalah she encountered on Earth in this trapped alternate version of her, and so Char's desire to save the world by destroying her sees Machu race to stop him. It further turns out that Shuji, making his grand return to the story after mysteriously vanishing a few weeks ago, is by her side against Char: purportedly first as an extension of the dormant Lalah's psionic will, but then, in a climactic heel turn, through a revelation that he too is from the same reality as Lalah… pulled into this aberrant timeline in an attempt to erase it. How Shuji intends to do that, and why, is left unclear, save for GQuuuuuuX's most audacious twist in the episode's final moments: emerging beyond the Rose of Sharon's psionic gateway to another world comes a Gundam. The Gundam. Not the re-imagined Mobile Suit we've seen in the show's prior re-imagining of the One Year War; there is no lanky, skeletal, almost Evangelion-esque frame here. This is the RX-78-2, as seen in the classic Mobile Suit Gundam—and, presumably, inside it is some version of Amuro Ray. That bit remains uncertain, to be fair. Perhaps the reality Shuji is from is one where he is the pilot of the first Gundam, perhaps, just as Char said of Lalah, he is using his vast powers as a Newtype to somehow possess Amuro and fling him at his new foes like an attack dog. Perhaps it's someone else in there entirely, or no one, and it's the Gundam itself being puppeteered by Shuji. For what it's worth, GQuuuuuuX's invocation of 'Beyond the Time' in this episode, the rock-ballad anthem that acts as the ending theme of Char's Counterattack, almost feels like it has to be Amuro in some form or another, rather than a fake out. We already know Lalah has seen visions of other worlds that play out the fateful encounter between herself, Char, and Amuro that ended with her sacrifice in the original series over and over in infinite combinations. Surely now then, it is time to see that battle play out again, but this time with the fate of a universe at stake. Because after all what is the story of the Universal Century if not that of Char Aznable and Amuro Ray? The evolution of Char and Amuro from wartime rivals to uncertain allies, to once-again foes yearning to understand their confounding connection to each other, is one that plays out across Gundam as a series for the best part of its first decade. Bonded by Lalah and the emergence of them both as Newtypes—capable of this heightened connection and understanding, but forever only on the brink of actually understanding each other and their visions for the world they fight for—the cycle of Gundam, in the Universal Century at least, is largely defined by the relationship between these two men. We haven't seen a GQuuuuuuX version of Amuro throughout the series so far—his role in the alternate version of past events is left pointedly out of the picture. Perhaps that's the true aberration Shuji speaks of in the creation of this world is, in some ways, that there could be some version of Char's story without him, one that lacks this fundamental figure that defines so much of it in the original Gundam. If GQuuuuuuX is going to make reframing and remixing the original Gundam its defining trait, there's probably no other way it could've ended than Char and Amuro, in some form or another, making their deal the whole universe's problem.
