‘Squid Game' Finale Ends With Surprise Hollywood Star Cameo
[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from the season three finale.]
Fans around the world were ready for some big twists from the series finale of Netflix's smash-hit dystopian thriller Squid Game — but arguably no one saw this surprise coming (warning: spoilers ahead).
More from The Hollywood Reporter
'Nawi' Star Michelle Lemuya Ikeny Thought She Was Auditioning for a School Play But Ended up in Kenya's Oscar Submission About Child Marriage
K-Pop Girl Group Aespa Is Exactly Where They Want to Be
Lorde Performs Surprise Glastonbury Set on Day of Album Release: "I'm Back and Completely Free"
In the final moments of the show's last episode, the Squid Game universe suddenly gets a whole lot more global when the camera jumps to California to find a character played by none other than two-time Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett on the streets of Los Angeles, recruiting potential American players to join what one must assume is a U.S. version of the show's eponymous death game.
The brief moment provides an instant answer to the widespread industry speculation about how Netflix will continue or create a spinoff for its most globally popular show of all time. For now, all we know is that a new American storyline for the hit Korean series has been seeded. More details about what Blanchett's cameo portends for the future of the Squid Game franchise — like, who might direct a new U.S. season, who else would star and/or how involved series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk will be — can be expected from Netflix in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime, Squid Game fans across the globe have a whole new death and drama-packed season to digest.
Netflix dropped all six episodes of the final and third season of Squid Game at midnight on Friday, Pacific Time, just six months after the premiere of the second season late last year. Adding a few dozen more deaths to the harrowing but candy-colored show's already enormous kill count, season three brought the curtain down on the story of protagonist Gi-Hun (Lee Jung-jae), as the everyman hero made his final face-off against the game's dark overseer, The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). The season had plenty of surprises besides Oscar-winning actresses, too — most notably the inclusion of an innocent newborn infant as a contestant in the game, an upping of the show's anti-capitalist moral stakes to their logical extreme.
The original season of the Korean dystopian drama shocked the world after its debut on Netflix in September 2021, rapidly becoming the streamer's most-watched show ever, and later winning a pair of Emmys for its creator and star. The first season's unprecedented success heaped enormous pressure on series creator Hwang, who famously writes and directs every episode of the show single-handedly. But season two nonetheless delivered, setting a record for the most views of a series or film on Netflix in its premiere week, and eventually rising to become the streamer's third most popular show of all time. Now, Squid Game's fate is back in the hands of the audience, as the world makes its way through season three.
The casting of Blanchett lends instant artistic heft to whatever comes next for Squid Game. The Australian actress has been nominated for eight Academy Awards and won twice (for Martin Scorsese's The Aviator and Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine), and has also been nominated for two Emmys (Mrs. America) and has won four Golden Globes from 13 nominations. She's also known for picking her artistic collaborators carefully and tends to only work with top auteurs. Recent roles include the leads in Alfonso Cuaron's critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series Disclaimer, Todd Fields' Tár, Guy Maddin's Rumors and Steven Soderbergh's Black Bag.
Blanchett also has some considerable ddakji skills up her sleeve and packs a mean, full-wind-up slap — as evidenced by season three's stirring final moments.
'If a story came my way that I felt could benefit from the amount of time that serialized storytelling can give it then, yeah,' Blanchett had told THR after Disclaimer in 2024 about her interests in doing more series television. 'But I suppose it just depends.'
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series
22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History
A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
25 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
17 Old Hollywood Movies That Were Almost Banned For Being Gay
Old Hollywood movies had to follow strict guidelines throughout the 1930s–1960s, known as the Hays Code. This basically prevented all US films from featuring anything that was overtly sexual or "inappropriate," which forced a lot of filmmakers to get creative about how they could navigate potential censorship. I have running lists on Letterboxd of every Old Hollywood and LGBTQ+ movie that I watch, so I sifted through them to find a bunch from the Hays Code era that are subtly (and not so subtly) suuuuuper gay. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy! Rebel Without a Cause (1955) stars James Dean as a bisexual hottie, so you really can't ask for much more. The original script had his character kissing Plato, who was one of the first gay teen characters on screen, but the Hays Code quickly squashed that from happening. Still, this movie is edgy and dramatic and romantic, and the whole cast is just so fun to look at. Who's in it: James Dean, Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood, and Dennis Hopper Here's the trailer: All About Eve (1950) is a witty and toxic drama about an aging actress who befriends a fan who ultimately tries to usurp her. This movie shares the record for the most Oscar nominations ever, with 14, and it briefly features Marilyn Monroe in one of her first roles ever. There are so many queer undertones and characters throughout, and they're all so delicious. Also, I personally think this is the best film ever made, so I'm basically begging you to watch it. Who's in it: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Thelma Ritter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill Here's the trailer: Homicidal (1961) was made towards the end of the Hays Code and sort of pushed the boundaries of what was allowed. You'll see why when the big twist in this horror-thriller is revealed, so I won't spoil anything for you now. Just know that this film was deemed so scary that it literally included a 45-second "fright break" that appeared on screen before the climax, which told viewers they could request a full refund from the movie theater if they were too scared to finish watching. Who's in it: Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Joan Marshall, and Eugenie Leontovich Here's the trailer: Tea and Sympathy (1956) follows a "sensitive" prep school teen who's bullied by the other students and teachers. He finds solace in an older woman, played by Deborah Kerr, and the whole thing is just sooooo pretty to look at. Who's in it: Deborah Kerr, Leif Erickson, John Kerr, and Edward Andrews Here's the trailer: Compulsion (1959) follows two hot, wealthy, and secretly queer college boys who commit a murder and think they're too smart to get away with it. It's loosely based on the real-life Leopold and Loeb murder trial, so just trust me on this one. Who's in it: Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, Diane Varsi, and Richard Anderson Here's the trailer: Rope (1948) is Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of a play that was ~also~ inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder trial. This one focuses on two young (and queer) killers who host a dinner party after hiding the dead body in their apartment. The movie was shot to look like it was filmed in a single take, which heightens its suspense and helps to keep the characters (and viewers) on edge. Who's in it: Farley Granger, John Dall, and James Stewart Here's the trailer: Edge of the City (1957) is a gritty drama about the friendship between John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier's characters. It's rough and tough and has a lotttt of queer subtext. Ruby Dee is also in this movie, and she's especially fantastic. Who's in it: Sidney Poitier, John Cassavetes, Ruby Dee, and Jack Warden Here's the trailer: The Children's Hour (1961) stars Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine as two women who run a boarding school for girls in 1930s New England. One of the students is a troublemaking little b*tch who starts a rumor that they're in a lesbian relationship, and all hell breaks loose. The movie is based on Lillian Hellman's famous play of the same name, and it's a must-watch. Who's in it: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Fay Bainter, and Miriam Hopkins Here's the trailer: Purple Noon (1960) is actually adapted from the book The Talented Mr. Ripley. This French film is just so freaking hot, and if you're into suspenseful dramas or even remotely liked the 1999 version with Jude Law and Matt Damon then you absolutely need to check this out. Who's in it: Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet, Marie Laforêt, and Billy Kearns Here's the trailer: Strangers on a Train (1951) is a psychological thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. It's about two strangers who both want someone murdered, so they swap victims to prevent anyone from getting suspicious of them. It's a super fun watch, and Farley Granger is so handsome that he'll kinda take your breath away. Who's in it: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, and Ruth Roman Here's the trailer: Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) is centered around a wealthy widow who tries to get her niece lobotomized to cover up the truth about her secretly queer (and now deceased) son. This one is a little out there, but Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor both received Best Actress Oscar nominations for their roles, so there's that. Who's in it: Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift, and Gary Raymond Here's the trailer: The Hitch-Hiker (1953) is about two male friends who are basically taken hostage after picking up a hitchhiker while on their way to a fishing trip. The film is based on the 1950 killing spree of Billy Cook, and it examines homosexual panic, masculinity, and traditional gender roles. Who's in it: Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman Here's the trailer: The Servant (1963) deals with unspoken desires, homoerotic tensions, and the ultimate dom-sub power dynamic. In it, a wealthy, young Londoner hires a man to be his servant. The servant slowly takes control and manipulates his "master," and it's a wilddddd ride. Who's in it: James Fox, Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, and Wendy Craig Here's the trailer: Victim (1961) is centered around a closeted lawyer in London who's blackmailed for being gay, which was illegal in England until 1967. This is a groundbreaking piece of movie history because it was the first British film to explicitly mention homosexuality, and it should be required viewing for everyone. Who's in it: Dirk Bogarde, Dennis Price, Anthony Nicholls, and Sylvia Syms Here's the trailer: Advise & Consent (1962) is a political drama that was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name. It's centered around the confirmation of a nominee for Secretary of State, who just so happens to be a married US senator who's being blackmailed for secretly having past relations with a man. Who's in it: Henry Fonda, Don Murray, Gene Tierney, Walter Pidgeon, and Charles Laughton Here's the trailer: The Haunting (1963) is a revolutionary horror movie that features one of the only lesbian characters of its time to be feminine and not predatory. The film is based on the book The Haunting of Hill House, which was ultimately turned into a hugely popular Netflix series, so if you like either of them then you should watch this too. Who's in it: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn Here's the trailer: Finally, Rebecca (1940) is the only Alfred Hitchcock film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. It features one of the most famous ~coded~ queer characters from Old Hollywood: Mrs. Danvers. Throughout the film, her obsession with Rebecca becomes more and more prevalent, though under the Hays Code her queerness had to be implied rather than stated outright. Who's in it: Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, and Judith Anderson Here's the trailer: Looking for more LGBTQ+ content? Check out all of BuzzFeed's Pride 2025 posts here!
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Coco Gauff says criticism of Aryna Sabalenka's French Open comments went ‘too far'
LONDON (AP) — It didn't take long for Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka to patch up their relationship after this month's French Open final. Now as Wimbledon is about to start, Gauff is hoping everyone else can also forget what the top-ranked Sabalenka said in the wake of her loss to the American at Roland-Garros. A day after dancing together on Wimbledon's Centre Court in a TikTok video, the two tennis players faced more questions on Saturday about the aftermath of Sabalenka's comments right after the final, when she said her loss had more to do with her own mistakes than Gauff's performance. The Belarusian later wrote to apologize to Gauff and said her comments were 'unprofessional,' but not before she faced some major backlash from fans and pundits — especially in the United States. Gauff is trying to make sure the criticism stops. 'I'm not the person that will fuel hate in the world,' said Gauff, who opens her Wimbledon campaign against Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday. 'I think people were taking it too far. … It was just really targeting and saying a lot of things that I felt were not nice. I didn't want to fuel that more.' Sabalenka, who faces Carson Branstine on No. 1 Court on Monday, said she hopes the TikTok video shows that all is well between the two. 'We are good, we are friends,' the three-time major winner said. 'I hope the U.S. media can be easy on me right now.' Sabalenka reiterated that she never meant to offend Gauff. 'I was just completely upset with myself, and emotions got over me,' she said. 'I just completely lost it.' Gauff did acknowledge that she was initially tempted to hit back publicly at Sabalenka, who said the American 'won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes from ... easy balls.' But after Sabalenka reached out to apologize, she was quick to bury any grudge. 'I preach love, I preach light,' Gauff said. 'I just want us to be Kumbaya, live happily, hakuna matata, and be happy here.'
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Coco Gauff says criticism of Aryna Sabalenka's French Open comments went 'too far'
LONDON (AP) — It didn't take long for Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka to patch up their relationship after this month's French Open final. Now as Wimbledon is about to start, Gauff is hoping everyone else can also forget what the top-ranked Sabalenka said in the wake of her loss to the American at Roland-Garros. A day after dancing together on Wimbledon's Centre Court in a TikTok video, the two tennis players faced more questions on Saturday about the aftermath of Sabalenka's comments right after the final, when she said her loss had more to do with her own mistakes than Gauff's performance. The Belarusian later wrote to apologize to Gauff and said her comments were 'unprofessional,' but not before she faced some major backlash from fans and pundits — especially in the United States. Gauff is trying to make sure the criticism stops. 'I'm not the person that will fuel hate in the world,' said Gauff, who opens her Wimbledon campaign against Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday. 'I think people were taking it too far. … It was just really targeting and saying a lot of things that I felt were not nice. I didn't want to fuel that more.' Sabalenka, who faces Carson Branstine on No. 1 Court on Monday, said she hopes the TikTok video shows that all is well between the two. 'We are good, we are friends,' the three-time major winner said. 'I hope the U.S. media can be easy on me right now.' Sabalenka reiterated that she never meant to offend Gauff. 'I was just completely upset with myself, and emotions got over me,' she said. 'I just completely lost it.' Gauff did acknowledge that she was initially tempted to hit back publicly at Sabalenka, who said the American 'won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes from ... easy balls.' But after Sabalenka reached out to apologize, she was quick to bury any grudge. 'I preach love, I preach light,' Gauff said. 'I just want us to be Kumbaya, live happily, hakuna matata, and be happy here.' ___
