Squid Game is back and deadlier than ever. If you’ve reached the end of the latest season of the gripping South Korean drama, you’re probably eager to find out when Squid Game Season 3 will hit Netflix.
Season 2 sees the return of Season 1 champion Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who re-enters the deadly competition years after winning the 45.6 billion won prize. This time, with the help of Detective Hwang Jun-ho, Player 456 is determined to bring down Squid Game and dismantle the operation led by the enigmatic Front Man, who takes an even more hands-on role in this season’s deadly challenges.
Following the Season 2 action-packed finale—filled with rebellions, shocking deaths, and countless twists—fans are already speculating how long they’ll have to wait for the final season to hit Netflix. Series director, writer, and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed last summer that the third season will serve as the last of the series.
“I am beyond excited to be writing this letter to announce the date for Season 2 and share the news of Season 3, the final season,” he shared in a letter to fans. “The fierce clash between [Gi-hun and Front Man’s] two worlds will continue into the series finale with Season 3, which will be brought to you next year.”
Here’s everything you need to know (so far) about Squid Game Season 3, including its anticipated release timeline, the returning cast, and more.
When Is Squid Game Season 3 Coming Out?
Squid Game is set to return for its third and final season in 2025, though the exact release date has not yet been revealed. However, the show’s creator has hinted that an announcement is expected “soon,” as the third season has already been filmed.
“At this point, anything I might say is going to be a spoiler, so I want to be cautious,” Hwang told Variety. “But what I can say is, after season 2 launches, I believe we will be announcing the launch date for season 3 soon. I probably expect that to launch around summer or fall next year.”
If Season 3 premieres in the summer or fall, this timeline aligns with Emmy nomination schedules. According to Digital Trends, Netflix will likely submit Season 2 for the 2025 awards and may aim to submit Season 3 for the 2026 Emmys. This suggests the earliest Squid Game Season 3 could debut on Netflix is June 1, 2025, to qualify for the 2026 Emmys.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Squid Game Season 2.
What Will Squid Game Season 3 Be About?
Squid Game S2 Lee Byung-hun as Front Man in Squid Game S2 Cr. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024
No Ju-han/Netflix
The third season of Squid Game will continue the story after the violent rebellion in the Season 2 finale, which ultimately fails when the rebels exhaust their ammunition and are vastly outnumbered. However, the most shocking moment in the finale was the heartbreaking death of Gi-hun’s best friend from Season 1, Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan).
Hwang revealed that Jung-bae’s death was deliberately planned as the perfect way to conclude Season 2. “Audiences are definitely going to be shocked and very sad to see Jung-bae go,” the creator told Tudum. “He’s also the only person within the games that Gi-hun can trust and completely rely on.”
The Front Man, who disguised himself as Player 001 (aka Young-il) and formed a bond with Gi-hun and his group of allies, has “faked” his character’s death and returned to his role behind the signature black cloak and mask. By the end of Season 2, Gi-hun remains unaware of the betrayal. “I don’t think Gi-hun knows the truth yet” because his character is “blaming himself for everything that happened,” Jung-jae told Tudum.
At the end of Episode 7, a mid-credits scene confirms the games continue even after Gi-hun is captured. The mid-credits scene shows players entering the arena, which now includes two giant dolls and a new variation of “Red Light, Green Light.” Hwang teased that the third season will continue highlighting “the fierce clash between [Gi-hun and Front Man’s] two worlds.”
Which Characters Will Return In Squid Game Season 3?
Squid Game S2 Yim Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi in Squid Game S2 Cr. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024
No Ju-han/Netflix
Season 2 of Squid Game saw the loss of several important characters, especially during its brutal final episodes. As for which characters will return in Season 3, here’s a look at those who have survived so far (with a few already already confirmed in the mid-credits scene).
Gi-hun (Player 456)
Yong-sik (Player 007)
Geum-ja (Player 149)
Hyun-ju (Player 120)
Jun-hee (Player 222)
Myung-gi (Player 333)
Dae-ho (Player 388)
Jun-ho (the detective)
In-ho (Front Man, ‘Young-il’, Player 001)
Stay tuned to learn more about Squid Game Season 3.
Squid Game is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.
