David Fincher to make English language version of ‘Squid Game’ for Netflix
Fans of Netflix’s Korean smash hit Squid Game may soon be watching a new incarnation of the show, as reports have emerged that David Fincher will soon be developing an English-language version.
Details are scarce thus far, but rumours began swirling months ago about what Fincher would next commit his time and effort to. In the past, it was believed he was toying with the idea of making a Squid Game movie set in the US, but now the scuttlebutt is that he is envisioning it as a series.
It’s not yet known if Fincher will make a movie before starting work on Squid Game, but insiders at Deadline believe it is highly likely that the show is what will monopolise his time in 2025. It’s believed that Dennis Kelly, creator of the original British version of Utopia, has been tasked with writing the series. Netflix is keeping quiet on the matter, though, with no official comment made at this time.
Squid Game has been a true behemoth for Netflix since its release in September 2021. The show – a survival thriller black comedy-drama created by Hwang Dong-hyuk – caught the world’s imagination like no previous show. It became Netflix’s most-watched series ever, hitting the top of the charts in 94 countries, before becoming a darling of the Primetime Emmy Awards with 14 nominations. In fact, its nomination for ‘Outstanding Drama Series’ made history — it was the first non-English-language show ever nominated for the award.
Therefore, Netflix has been keen to expand the franchise, and this expansion has already begun. Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality show which recreated the twisted game in the real world, debuted in November 2023. It was also an enormous hit, and a second season is on the way.
The second season of the core show is also just around the corner—it will debut on Netflix worldwide on December 26th as the streamer’s big Christmas release. According to Hwang, a third and final season will quickly follow in 2025.
It’s easy to see why Netflix would think of Fincher for the first English-language expansion of Squid Game. The Fight Club director has had an overall deal with the streamer for years, delivering hit shows like Love, Death and Robots and Mindhunter, as well as films like Mank and The Killer. He was also the big-name creative who first put Netflix on the map in terms of original content with the hit series House of Cards back in 2013.
The property itself—a dark, off-kilter show with equal parts gruesome violence, social commentary, and black humour—sounds right up Fincher’s alley. In a quirky twist, though, he has already made a film about someone becoming wrapped up in an elaborate game with (seemingly) life-or-death consequences: 1997’s The Game, which starred Michael Douglas and Sean Penn.