Latest news with #Frontman
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Squid Game review: A rewarding third season filled with thrills, spills and a gripping final twist
Netflix has wrapped its tentacles around Squid Game and is refusing to let go. Following the conclusion of Hwang Dong-hyuk's brutal story of a sadistic survival contest on a mysterious island off the coast of Korea, there is speculation Social Network/Fight Club director David Fincher is to oversee a US adaptation of the franchise. That Squid Game is about to go international seems to be hinted at in the final episode of the show's third and concluding season (Netflix) when a Hollywood star turns up playing a western version of 'The Recruiter', who tempts the financially desperate to risk life, limb and sanity in the games. But Hwang has denied his series explicitly sets up a US spin-off. The Recruiter cameo (more about anon) is there to make the more serious point about how power structures can be pulled apart but always rise up again. 'I wanted to leave it on a note highlighting the fact that these systems, even if one comes down, it's not easy to dismantle the whole system – it will always repeat itself,' he told the Hollywood Reporter. 'That's why I wanted to end it with an American recruiter. And I wrote that scene wanting an impactful ending for the show, not in order to open rooms for anything else.' Impactful the end of Squid Game certainly is. It is also a marked improvement on the underwhelming second series . As the action resumes, Player 456 (Lee Jung-jae) has been forced to continue in the games despite leading a failed rebellion against the all-powerful Frontman (Lee Byung-hun). This year's challenges are every bit as dastardly as in earlier seasons – including a devious challenge where the remaining contestants are divided into two teams, and one is instructed to kill the other. READ MORE [ What is Squid Game, Netflix's ultraviolent breakout hit show? Opens in new window ] Out in the real world, meanwhile, Frontman's brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) proceeds in his search for the mysterious island where the games are taking place. Then there is North Korean defector Kang No-eul (aka 011). She is trying to take down the games from the inside and rescue the newborn child of Jun-hee (her way of dealing with her trauma over her daughter's disappearance). It's grippingly dark stuff. Hwang, to his credit, pulls off a rewardingly paradoxical finale by killing off a major character and giving several other protagonists redemptive endings. And then, at the end, there is that cameo, with Lady Galadriel herself, Cate Blanchett, playing the American Recruiter. It is a final twist at the end of a show packed tight with thrills, spills and gory demises. But of course, the one death that is not permitted is of Squid Game itself, which Netflix, via Fincher, is determined to keep alive at any cost.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Latest Update On ‘Squid Game: America' On Netflix
Squid Game Squid Game season 3 has ended, but if you think that's the last you're going to see from the series, I wouldn't put money on it. And I don't just mean Netflix's ill-conceived game show. Rather, the end of the Squid Game finale (spoilers) has the Frontman in America delivering billions to Gi-hun's daughter. As he leaves, randomly, in an alley he sees none other than actress Cate Blanchett playing the very Korean Ddakji game and slapping a man that she apparently is trying to recruit for an American version of Squid Game. But the creator of the series, Hwang Dong-hyuk, did not say this meant a US-based version was coming. The idea of this scene is very weird, contextually, as the founder of Squid Game died in season 1, and now the Frontman runs the entire game, except he doesn't seem to know about this version. Or maybe the look on his face says he does? It's all very hard to parse, but like many things about the season finale, it doesn't make much sense. But now the question is whether or not this was a true teaser for a Squid Game: America spinoff, a sort of MCU post-credits scene implying where things will head in the future. I believe that some people are convinced this is a reality, and I've even seen a fake Squid Game Universe timeline being circulated on social media. But the reality is more complicated. Squid Game A Squid Game: America series was in fact brought up a while ago. This is still technically the 'latest' news on an American Squid Game, despite being all the way back in October 2024, as we have heard nothing from Netflix about it since. The original report from Deadline relayed that David Fincher was developing a new English-language Squid Game series. This would not be a remake of the original series; this would be a new story, set in the US. It also comes after an even older story that Fincher may have done a Squid Game movie for Netflix. But the last report was a new show. That is, in fact, the last report. We don't know if the Blanchett cameo and the new game reveal are definitely going to lead to a new series, but creator Hwang Dong-hyuk recently told EW 'I'm not trying to say that I'm going to close the door to spinoffs or sequels altogether because they say never say never.' His main point of discussion was an idea he had about a Gi-hun show that took place between seasons 1 and 2, which would not feature an actual game. And it's likely that if there was an American series, it would be done by someone else, even if Hwang was consulting. Someone like Fincher. Squid Game Is this likely? The last big news involving David Fincher was that he was directing a Brad Pitt-starring sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino's original film. That's still casting and spooling up and will not be out for a while. Though Fincher 'developing' a Squid Game: America show would not be directing the whole thing, almost certainly. I absolutely believe Netflix is going to try to make this happen and not let go of Squid Game. Season 1 has not been surpassed as the #1 show in Netflix history. Season 2 is inside the top 5, and season 3 is likely to be around that. Netflix won't stop now. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The ‘Squid Game' Season 3 Ending Was A Mess
Squid Game Squid Game has ended its run with a season 3 finale that served as a second half of season 2, more or less, the overly-large season covering a single game split in two. While there were certainly good moments in the season, episode 2, for instance, was one of the best in all three seasons of Squid Game; once we made it to the end, it was just…not a good finale, and the entire thing very much felt like it was not supposed to exist, a product of Netflix trying to milk the popular series when it should have been a one-off. What went wrong? (Spoilers follow) The turning point was the birth of the baby. The CGI baby who was, admittedly, halfway decent CGI, but still, a CGI baby that then had to be carried through the games as another player because the idiot VIPs thought it would be funny. This totally changed Gi-hun's mission, which was already sort of neutered after his failed rebellion as he had given up his ultimate goal of taking down the Frontman and the games. The end here was all over the place. In a bout of incredibly bad timing, Gi-hun opts to jump off the final tower to follow the rules of the game and save the baby, first A) assuming these insane game operators will actually do anything kind with the baby (who they were willing to let die thirty seconds earlier) and B) give it billions in prize money. Squid Game The timing is poor because just minutes later, the Coast Guard and the detective arrive to storm the place, meaning if this did not happen coincidentally that close together, Gi-hun probably could have escaped with the baby if the Frontman hit the button to let them down, which seems like something he would do at that point. But the show wanted to get that Gi-hun sacrifice in there despite it meaning practically nothing. The Frontman ends up giving this completely random baby to his brother, along with the baby's cash because well, the baby had to go somewhere since the final four episodes were based around it. I am fundamentally okay with the Frontman surviving all this, but I can't believe we got through this entire series without a single one of those deeply annoying, horrifyingly cruel VIPs getting killed. We were waiting the entire series for that, and they just…disappear in the end. I guess maybe they got blown up? We have no idea. The Cate Blanchett cameo was the cherry on top. I suppose the idea here was to cast a recognizable actor in that role as they did on the Korean side, but it certainly was a bizarre moment to see a hugely recognizable Western actress in the last moments of the show (the only other Western actors being the abominable VIPs). As of now, there is no confirmed American spin-off coming, but obviously, that seems like something Netflix would do. Who knows if they could rope Cate Blanchett into an entire series? But the point is, the games didn't end anyway, so all of this was pointless and just left open-ended for more seasons someday or spin-offs. I thought season 3 started strong, but it was ultimately a thrown-together mess by the end where everything jumbled together and little made sense. It also negated the entire arc of Gi-hun within minutes, which was a terrible end to his character. What a nightmare. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
The Review Geek
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Squid Game Season 3 Review – Does the finale bring back Season 1's charm?
Episode Guide Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5 Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 6 -| Review Score – 3/5 After Squid Game pushed the K-drama genre to new heights of fame, it was renewed for two more seasons to wrap up the story. Following a lacklustre Season 2 which acted more like a transition between the first and the final season, Squid Game Season 3 aired in June 2025. And it gave us all the greatest hits from twisted mind games and betrayals to even scarier death games and a showdown of epic proportions. The K-drama begins with Seong Gi-hun, a desperate debtor who promises to turn his life around when he gets the chance to win over 45 billion won in a series of children's games. However, what he doesn't know is that he and over 450 other players will have to compete in life-threatening games. Squid Game Season 3 picks up right after the previous season, with the remaining players of the second game getting disheartened by their failed rebellion. As they are forced to continue playing the games, there is further discord among the players. Jun-hee seems to have given up while Gi-hun turns his anger towards Dae-ho. Geum-ja appeals to the players' humanity while the Frontman continues to taunt Gi-hun. The games get deadlier and the players struggle to survive. And in the outside world, Jun-ho and Choi Woo-seok continue to search for the Squid Game's island, unaware that there is a traitor in the midst. The series is as star-studded as it can get, and brings back Season 2 faces like Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Lee Jin-wook, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim and Jo Yu-ri among others. It is helmed by director Hwang Dong-hyuk who also worked on the previous two seasons, so the final season is definitely in safe hands. Squid Game Season 3 brings back some of the charm of the first season. Each episode gets better than the last as the writer concocts riskier death games, absurd logic of the greedy players and the desperation of the dwindling rebels. It also has time to rehash Season 1's themes, such as faith in humanity vs man's selfish nature, and the financial and mental divide between the rich and poor, by making the VIPs more active participants. Apart from these recurring themes, there are several callbacks to the first season as well such as the inhuman VIPs enjoying the games, In-ho trying to convince Gi-hun of Chairman Oh's beliefs and even a deja vu of the iconic marble game involving shocking betrayals and deaths that prove that plot armour was never a thing in this show. Every episode is packed to the brim with thrilling plot twists, heartwrenching moments, and the bright and cheerful aesthetics of the Squid Game building, now stained with blood and hopelessness. The credit also goes to every single member of the cast as they pull out all the stops for the finale. Special shoutout to Kang Ha-neul, who may be known for his goofy roles, but portrays the complex Dae-ho so well that we cannot hate the character even if we want to. Kang Ae-sim's Geum-ja facing the biggest betrayal during one of the games will bring everyone to tears. But it is Yim Si-wan who steals the show in the end with Myung-gi's quiet scheming. To match Squid Game Season 3's wickedness, the action gets gorier, the props get creepier and there is an overall sense of suffocation even when a game is set on towers. The eerie, discordant string music continues and the drama even expands on the VIPs' world with miniatures of the games and extravagant outfits. But by the time we reach the end, we realise that there is no big bang that the show should have wrapped up with. We'll try our best to stay spoiler-free but since Squid Game is literally about death games, can you really be mad at us for mentioning that people die? Anyway, we don't have a problem with anyone dying; we know what we signed up for. The problem is the pace at which everyone is killed off in Season 3. By the end, since not many important characters survive, the show is left to pick off the extras. And so their deaths don't have any impact. It doesn't help that the novelty is gone as well. The reason why Season 1's ending packed an emotional punch is that viewers are left to believe that there will be multiple winners in the final game. When Sae-byeok and Sang-woo are killed, we are in for a shock, surprised at how Season 1 could top the emotional charge of the marble game. So, when Season 3's final game uses the same formula, it is not a surprise anymore. Seasons 2 and 3 also fail to be as satisfactory as Season 1 because they have extremely high ambitions which are never met. By being greedy like the billionaires of Squid Game, Netflix ruins the perfect legacy of what could have been a one-hit wonder.
Korea Herald
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Leaked set photo, new games, and a baby's cry: What to expect in season 3 of 'Squid Game'
Frontman's next move, whether the games will finally come to an end remain key questions 'Squid Game' wraps up with the release of its final season this Friday, closing out a franchise that redefined global streaming hits when it debuted in 2021. Season 1 saw cash-strapped players fight to the death in twisted children's games, with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) emerging as the lone survivor. Instead of escaping with his prize of 45.6 billion won ($33 million), he returns in Season 2 to end the games, only to be captured by masked guards before he can succeed. As the third season approaches, here's a breakdown of what to expect, based on teasers and key spoilers already circulating. One of the biggest threads heading into the finale is whether Gi-hun can finally put an end to the Squid Games — the deadly games orchestrated for the entertainment of the ultra-wealthy. According to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, this season is designed to challenge viewers with philosophical questions. 'In today's capitalist society, where excessive competition and the constant stimulation of human desire lead to feelings of frustration and defeat, can we, as humans, create a better future?' Hwang said during a June 9 press conference. 'Can we offer the next generation a more sustainable world?' Whether Gi-hun can break the cycle and forge a new path, or be consumed by the very system he's trying to destroy, will be at the heart of the finale. Fans can also expect a fresh lineup of high-stakes children's games. Past seasons featured Korean staples like the dalgona candy challenge and the titular squid game. Season 3 trailers tease even grander set pieces, such as a maze-like arena where contestants seem to face off head-to-head, and a massive jump rope led by the returning Young-hee and her newly revealed male counterpart, Chul-soo. Observant fans speculate that new games might include monkey bars, chess, or Korea's traditional yut game, based on background artwork spotted on the dormitory walls, echoing the hidden clues from the first season. Another storyline to watch involves Jun-hee, a pregnant contestant who miraculously made it to the final stretch. The teaser for the new season ended with the chilling sound of a baby's cry, prompting theories about whether she gives birth mid-game, and what it could mean if new life enters a competition to the death. Then there's the game master Frontman, played by Lee Byung-hun. In the second season, he infiltrates the game in disguise, ostensibly to test Gi-hun, before ultimately crushing the rebellion and revealing his true identity. Despite this, the character has shown flickers of empathy, and the actor has teased a complex arc involving his conflicting loyalties. Will Frontman stay loyal to the system or help bring it down? Whether he doubles down or flips sides remains in play. And thanks to a now-infamous behind-the-scenes leak, fans are also watching for a possible return of Squid Game participant Kyung-seok (Lee Jin-uk), believed to be dead after being shot by Park Gyu-young's character in Season 2. A now-deleted photo Park posted on her social media shows a man who looks like Lee resting beside her in a pink guard suit, sending fans into a frenzy. Fans are now speculating whether Kyung-seok survived or has been repurposed into the system.
