Squid Game Season 3: How a surprising celebrity cameo in the finale sets up David Fincher's USA spin-off?

Hwang Dong-hyuk's Squid Game Season 3 is finally streaming on Netflix and as the creator teased, the final chapter is brutal and bleak.

Featuring a definitive end to the games, the final moments of the Season 3 finale teased that a particular fan theory about the show might be true after all.

Since the VIPs called Season 1 'Korean games', many fan theories were suggesting that the Squid Game franchise is a multiverse and will expand to many more countries.

After Gi-hun sacrifices himself for Jun-hee's baby, the Front Man sets the Squid Game island on fire, suggesting this was the end for the Korean Games. However, he saved Jun-hee's baby, who eventually became Player 222 and probably the last winner of the games.

While the Front Man put an end to the Korean games, a surprise cameo in the final moments of Squid Game Season 3 confirmed the upcoming David Fincher USA spin-off.

Two-time Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett appeared in a cameo role, teasing the American version of Gong Yoo's recruiter, who could potentially appear in the USA spin-off series.

More on this in our story.

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Squid Game Season 3: Cate Blanchett's cameo explained

While fans somehow anticipated the bleak conclusion to Season 3, Cate Blanchett's cameo in the final moments was surprising.

In a surprising move, after tormenting Gi-hun and the players at every level, the Front Man does something out of character. Six months after the events of Squid Game Season 3, he visits Los Angeles, home to Gi-hun's daughter, Seong Ga-yeong.

Upon his arrival, Ga-yeong seemed angry with her father, further highlighting Gi-hun's strained relationship with his daughter. However, when the Front Man reveals Gi-hun's passing to his daughter, she softens and lets him in.

In the Season 3 finale, the Front Man leaves Gi-hun's Player 456 outfit and a credit card (probably his remaining winnings from Season 1) with his daughter.

After safely delivering Gi-hun's last belongings to his daughter, the Front Man is chauffeured around the heart of Hollywood when his car stops at a traffic signal and he hears the familiar sound of ddakji.

In the bustling street of LA, the Squid Game Season 3 final moments featured a mysterious woman in a sharp suit playing ddakji with a homeless man in an alleyway and slapping him upon losing.

The woman is revealed to be none other than Cate Blanchett, who sees and smiles at the Front Man, suggesting their familiarity and connection with each other.

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Squid Game Season 3: How does Cate Blanchett's cameo set up David Fincher's spin-off series?

The Squid Game Season 3 finale scene featuring Blanchett was highly reminiscent of the Season 1 premiere scene between the Recruiter and Gi-hun at the subway station, where the Recruiter asked Gi-hun to play ddakji with him and invited him to the games.

From her sharply dressed suit to her overall dominant demeanour, it was clear that Blanchett's character was the tease of the American recruiter, setting up an exciting future for David Fincher's USA spin-off.

In addition, Blanchett's recruiter's nod to the Front Man also suggests that the two are familiar with each other, further suggesting a connected multiverse of squid games in different countries.

With Squid Game Season 3 being the final installment in Dong-hyuk's series, it is likely that David Fincher's US spin-off will continue the deadly games and the franchise will eventually spread to many other countries.

Squid Game Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.

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