A newSquid Gameseries set in the United States is on the way, but this may have some unfortunate implications regarding Gi-hun’s story.Netflix announced that the new spinoff would be scripted in English and directed by David Fincher (Fight Club). This is undoubtedly exciting and seems to confirm some theories that evolved followingSquid Gameseason 1’s release in 2021. However,this news is a bit more concerning when considering the trajectory of Lee Jung-Jae’sSquid Gamecharactergoing into season 2.
Squid Gametook the world by storm with its first season, solidifying itself as one of the few foreign-language series on Netflix to gain prominence in the United States.It’s been a few years since the brutal and thematically striking series dropped, but creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has remained steadfast in his promise that more is on the way.Squid Gameseason 2should seeLee Jung-Jae’s Gi-hun attempt to put an end to the brutal competition that changed his life, but it’s currently unclear how he could possibly manage this. Since anew internationalSquid Gameseries is in the works, however, it seems he won’t.
An International Spinoff Implies That The “Squid Games” Will Be Too Much For Gi-Hun To Tackle
Gi-Hun Probably Won’t Achieve His Goal To Take Down The Games
The VIPS ofSquid Game, who each came from a different country around the world, inspired the theory that these terrible games are an international event. One of the VIPs in season 1 specified that the “Korean games” were especially good that year, implying that the various involved countries took turns hosting. Fincher’s AmericanSquid Gameseries seems to confirm this, and it can be assumed that the English series will be set in the United States. Of course, if this story takes place following Gi-hun’s story, this would mean thatthis character is doomed to fail in his attempt to take down the operation.
Squid Game Never Set Up A Happy Ending For Gi-Hun
Gi-Hun Is Unlikely To Survive The Games Twice
Gi-hun was clearly determined at theend ofSquid Gameseason 1to put a stop to these terrible games. He was willing to walk away from his life to head back into the fray despite the fact that he had managed to be the only person to survive the first time around. While audiences will most certainly root for Gi-hun inSquid Gameseason 2, it would be no huge surprise if he didn’t succeed. This dark, gritty, anddisturbing Netflix show has never been about happy endings. Instead,Squid Gamesexplores the desperate measures a person will take to secure even the most unlikely chance at wealth and security.
If the games truly are international, with contestants from every country competing in their own dark Olympics every year, then the major lesson of Squid Game may not be one of hope.
Gi-hun survivingSquid Gameseason 1 was already a miracle. Now that this character is turning his efforts to take down a corrupt system, he’s even more likely to fail than before. The terrible truth is likely thatthe ugliness created by old man Oh Il-nam runs too deep to interrupt. If the games truly are international, with contestants from every country competing in their own dark Olympics every year, then the major lesson ofSquid Gamemay not be one of hope. Otherwise, there would be no real need for the franchise to expand.
The US Squid Game Spinoff Could Be A Reboot (But That’s Still A Problem For The Original Series)
An English-Language Reboot Would Be Needless
Of course,the newUS-basedSquid Gameseriesmay beintended as an English-language reboot rather than a sequel or traditional spinoff. Fincher may hope to repeat the same concept and story but with American characters playing children’s games more typical to a US playground. This would meanthe new series would not risk spoiling the story of Hwang’s series in any way. However, a reboot would present various other problems instead and would, in truth, be a waste of time and money for Fincher and Netflix.
There is currently no estimated release year for Fincher’s newSquid Gameseries.
Even as a non-English series,Squid Gamewas a smash hit in the United States.It would make sense for Netflix to reboot the series in English in hopes of bringing an unfamiliar Korean story to new audiences, butthe US has already proven that they will watchSquid Game, regardless of the language and setting.It seems far more likely that Fincher’s newSquid Gameseries is a spinoff that would further explore the broader world that Hwang established—even if such a series may subtly hint at what could go wrong with the original series' tragic protagonist.
Squid Game: The Challenge
Cast
Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality competition show where 456 contestants compete for a life-changing $4.56 million prize, inspired by the popular narrative of the original series. The show tests participants' skills in a series of challenging games inspired by the fictional storyline.
