Squid Game Season 3: Netflix’s record-breaking series is heading toward its dramatic conclusion. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that the brutal survival thriller will wrap up with an action-packed third season in 2025. After Squid Game season two drops on December 26, 2024, fans can breathe easy knowing they won’t have to wait another three years for closure. The third season has already been filmed and is in post-production, promising to bring an explosive end to Seong Gi-hun’s relentless pursuit of justice.
“When I was working on the first season, I never envisioned there would be more,” Hwang Dong-hyuk confessed to Entertainment Weekly. He shared that the stress of writing and directing the first season was so intense that he ended up losing “eight or nine teeth” from the pressure. But after Squid Game took off worldwide, his view changed. “The response was so overwhelming, with fans eager to know what would happen to Gi-hun next. I couldn’t just leave it at that,” he said. “It felt like a responsibility to continue the story, to give people what they were craving.”
Where Season 2 Took Us
The second season wraps up with a failed rebellion that lays the groundwork for the series’ explosive conclusion. After a chaotic uprising where Os clash with Xs, Gi-hun devises an ambitious strategy to take down the deadly games. Initially, the rebellion seems to have hope as the contestants manage to overpower the guards and seize their weapons. However, things take a dark turn when the Front Man’s true intentions are finally exposed.
In a tragic conclusion, Gi-hun and Jung-bae advance considerably towards the control room, encountering fierce gun battles throughout their journey. At a pivotal juncture, Gi-hun sacrifices his remaining ammunition to assist In-ho in their efforts—a choice that ultimately leads to disaster when In-ho turns against them, eliminating his comrades before disclosing his identity as the Front Man and executing Jung-bae in Gi-hun’s presence.
With the rebellion quickly falling apart, Myung-gi and Hyun-Ju find themselves driven back to the player quarters, their ammo running out. Surrounded and outmatched, they’re confronted by guards declaring the uprising is officially over. Meanwhile, in a cryptic post-credits scene, Players 096, 100, and 353 are seen approaching Young-hee’s statue, only to discover a new statue standing beside it as the green light flickers on, adding a fresh layer of mystery.
What’s Coming in Squid Game Season 3
Creator Hwang has promised that the final season will deliver a much more intense and compelling storyline.
“As the episodes progress, things are only going to get more exciting,” he explained in an interview with Variety. “The story will expand, the stakes will rise, and it will be even more entertaining. So, make sure you watch all the way to the very end!”
In this last season, a significant focus will be on Gi-hun’s emotional struggles as he comes to terms with the failure of his rebellion.
“Gi-hun has been through so much—he’s lost everything, including his closest friend, and nothing he’s tried has worked out. Now, the big question is, what will he do next?” Hwang teased. “Where will his head and heart be? Will he push forward with his mission, or is he finally ready to quit?”
Remaining Characters from the Cast
Despite the chaos and violence of season two, a number of central characters made it through to continue their journeys:
- Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun
- Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho
- Lee Byung-hun as The Front Man
- Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju
- Kang Ha-neul as Dae-ho
- Jo Yu-ri as Kim Jun-hee
- Park Gyu-young as No-eul
- Chae Kook-hee as Seon-nyeo
- Lee David as Min-su
- Yang Dong-geun as Park Yong-sik
- Im Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi
Lingering Storylines
Several intriguing plotlines remain unresolved, setting the stage for the final season:
- The uncertain future of Myung-gi and his pregnant partner
- The ongoing story of Park Yong-sik and his mother’s fate
- Hyun-ju’s pursuit of gender-affirming surgery
- The enigmatic fortune teller, Seon-nyeo, and her hidden motives
- The North Korean defector’s quest to reunite with her son
- The mystery behind the Front Man’s shocking shift from law enforcement officer to mastermind of the games
The High Risks
The upcoming final season not only holds the key to Gi-hun’s personal quest for revenge but also the ultimate fate of the deadly games. In a heartfelt letter to fans, creator Hwang revealed that the season will culminate in “a decisive showdown with a clear victor,” ensuring a conclusion to the “intense conflict between the two opposing worlds.”
The games still dangle a massive prize of 45.6 billion won (about $31 million USD), pulling in contestants willing to risk everything for a shot at the fortune. The pursuit of money continues to drive the story forward, highlighting the harsh realities of financial struggle and the extreme measures people take when their survival is on the line.
Upcoming Release Schedule
While Netflix has yet to announce a specific release date, it has confirmed that the third season will arrive in 2025. Given the release pattern of season two, many industry insiders believe the final season could premiere late in 2025, possibly during the holiday season. Hwang Dong-hyuk has also dropped hints about a more precise timeline for when fans can expect the show to drop.
“We’ll be revealing the official release date for season 3 soon,” Hwang shared. “I’m anticipating it to launch sometime next summer or fall.”
In a surprising shift, Hwang’s approach to creating the final season has strayed from his typical creative method.
Hwang explained that his approach to writing the final season was quite different from his usual method. “Normally, when I start working on a script, I think of the ending first and then focus on creating the most engaging path to get there,” he shared. “But this time, I began with a specific ending in mind. However, as the story developed, I realized that wasn’t the direction it needed to go, so I decided to change the ending halfway through the process.”
