Cate Blanchett is now part of the Squid Game universe. In a twist nobody saw coming – except the eagle-eyed Twitter girlies who spotted her in the teaser still.
Netflix has dropped a cinematic bomb: the two-time Oscar winner makes a cryptic cameo in the final season of Squid Game.
Yes, Cate. In Squid Game.
Wait, why is Cate Blanchett in Squid Game?
Since its launch in 2021, Squid Game has been more than a show—it’s been a global TV event, meme machine, and cultural mirror. With its razor-sharp critique of capitalism dressed in vivid visuals and deadly children’s games, it became Netflix’s most-watched series ever. Now, with Season 3 wrapping the saga, the creators decided to take it global—literally.
Cate Blanchett appears in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sequence at the end of the final episode. Dressed in a chic, sharply tailored suit, she steps out from the shadows of a Los Angeles alleyway. In her hand? The same red and blue ddakji cards used by the Recruiter (Gong Yoo) in Season 1. Her voice is cool, calm, and calculated—pure Blanchett. She says just enough to suggest she’s not just a cameo, but a pivot point.
What the Scene Actually Shows
Let’s dissect. The setting is unmistakably America – downtown New York if we had to guess. Cate Blanchett’s character is playing ddakji with a seemingly desperate man in an alleyway. Front man rolls down his window from car and watches on. The camera lingers on her smirk, they continue playing the game, we hear a slap and… fade to black.
Some fans are reading this as confirmation of a U.S.-based version of the Game. Others think it’s a sequel hook, or perhaps a global expansion—Squid Games, plural. Whatever it is, it’s deliberate. And it’s meant to leave us guessing.
A Quiet Power Move
According to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, the casting was “a dream,” revealing that Blanchett has long been a fan of the series and approached Netflix about getting involved. He described her appearance as “symbolic” of Squid Game’s evolution—from a story deeply rooted in South Korea’s socio-economic divides to a broader, more global exploration of elite exploitation.
This wasn’t stunt casting—it’s a chess move.
She understood the tone, the mystery, the weight. We didn’t need her to explain anything—her presence speaks volumes
Why Cate?
Let’s be real—Cate Blanchett isn’t just in the conversation when we talk about the greatest working actors. She is the conversation. A two-time Oscar winner (The Aviator, Blue Jasmine), she delivered one of the most electrifying performances of the decade in Todd Field’s TÁR. Already this year, she stunned again in Steven Soderbergh’s sleek espionage thriller Black Bag—easily one of 2025’s standout films. But Blanchett’s range speaks for itself: from Carol to Thor: Ragnarok, The Talented Mr. Ripley to Indiana Jones, The Lord of the Rings and beyond—she’s genre-fluid, endlessly watchable, and always ten moves ahead.
Cate Blanchett doesn’t show up just anywhere. Her involvement here is a sign that prestige actors are not just embracing streaming—they’re playing its game. She’s already been vocal about the future of film and TV blending, and her cameo feels like a wink to both.
She’s also someone with serious global appeal and art-house credibility, which helps Squid Game maintain its intellectual edge while diving into franchise territory.
Plus, let’s be honest—she knows how to wear a suit.
A Global Game? Fans Are Already Theorising
Some fans love the shift. Others worry it’s Netflix “Hollywood-ifying” a deeply Korean story. After all, the show’s power has always been in how specifically Korean its horrors are—the debts, the class divides, the shame.
If you’ve been doomscrolling post-Squid Game Season 3 finale (same), you’ve probably seen that cinematic universe timeline doing the rounds.
According to the viral fan-made graphic, we’re getting everything from Squid Game USA (Fall 2026) to Squid Game: 1987, 28th, and finally Squid Game World in 2028. It’s giving MCU-core, but… let’s pump the brakes.
Despite how slick the fake looks, Netflix and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk haven’t confirmed any of it—and the graphic’s actually been floating around since before Season 3 dropped. TikTok just gave it new life, thanks to the finale’s polarizing ending and that cameo.
PLEASE, NO ONE WANTS THIS! Stop milking this series. Just let it end 😭 pic.twitter.com/BZnAqI9yZ4
— yasmin (@hsoprk) June 29, 2025
What is real? David Fincher is reportedly developing an English-language spin-off—teased in the final scene by none other than Cate Blanchett, casually playing ddakji in an L.A. alley.
Likely, somewhere in the future, we are going to see more of Squid Game. How can we not? It’s only been the most popular show Netflix has ever produced, not to mention the conglomeration of fans all over the world.
The Bigger Picture: Netflix’s Global IP Strategy
This isn’t just about Cate Blanchett—it’s about where Squid Game fits into the Netflix machine. The streamer has been building toward this moment: global IP with shared DNA but localised flavors. Think Money Heist: Korea, The Night Manager: India, or the endless Elite spin-offs.
Now, it seems Squid Game could be next. An anthology of elite sadism, each set in different countries? A pan-global commentary on how every culture has its own brand of power games?
So… What Happens Now?
Netflix hasn’t confirmed a spin-off, but this ending is begging for more. And with Squid Game: The Challenge still making waves and interest in Korean entertainment at an all-time high, it’s hard to imagine they’ll leave it there.
Whether we see Cate Blanchett again or not, one thing’s clear: Squid Game isn’t over—it’s evolving. Into what? A global franchise? A prestige anthology? A cautionary tale about capitalism that crosses borders?
We’ll be watching.
Signed, sealed, Pinksooped 💅
