Squid Game season two spoilers follow.
Watch out, Young-hee, there's a new killing machine doll in town. A teaser clip for Squid Games season three was revealed on Instagram, and it reveals the arrival of a new murderous motion-sensing doll, Chul-su.
The not-so-innocent-looking doll made his debut on Netflix's official Instagram page and the green light pinging into action following his reveal can only mean one thing. He's ready to play.
Well, Chul-su won't have to wait long as Squid Game's third and final season will be making its way to the streaming service in 2025 – but devoted fans already knew this, as the release year was confirmed back in July 2024.
We've actually had a more recent update, with confirmation of the exact release date (June 27, in case you're wondering) and another official look at the new episodes.
But what other new treats are in store for season three and when can we expect it? Here's everything you need to know.
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When is Squid Game season 3's release date?
As we mentioned above, Netflix has delivered the news that the third season of the hit show will arrive on June 27, 2025.
First-look pictures were released at the same time, revealing a handcuffed Gi-hun who is paying for his failed coup.
Fans of the show will be happy to learn that they don't have to wait too long, given the record-breaking success of the second season.
During an exclusive interview with Digital Spy in late November, Hwang revealed: "I actually wrote and shot seasons two and three in order at the same time."
"It's going to be good for [fans] to take that short break and wait for season three," Hwang told us before assuring us: "It is definitely going to be worth the wait."
At least this hiatus period won't be as painful as the three-year-plus break between seasons one and two.
Squid Game season 3 cast: Who will be coming back?
As is the nature of this slash-happy show, we've lost countless characters to the games but this time around we’re holding on to a few more players going into season three. After all, no one leaves until the games are done and they are anything but.
As such, we can rely on Lee Jung-jae's Seong Gi-hun to return, along with detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) and his brother Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), aka the Front Man, or should we say Oh Young-il, since he spent most of this season pulling off the ‘good-guy’ act under the guise of Young-il’s player number 001?
Also (track)suiting up for season three will be the following:
• Lee Myung-gi as player 333, Yim Si-wan
• Jo Yu-ri as player 222, Kim Jun-hee
• Yang Dong-geun as player 007, Park Yong-sik
• Kang Ae-shim as player 149, Jang Geum-ja
• Park Sung-hoon as player 120, Hyun-ju
• Kang Ha-neul as player 388, Kang Dae-ho
• Lee David as player 125, Park Min-su
• Park Gyu-young as triangle pink soldier 011, No-eul
The insufferable Thanos (aka player 230) will not be back after taking a fork to the throat during the bathroom scuffle, so we won’t have to endure any more slick-talking raps and condescension, at least not from him. There’s still Roh Jae-won’s player 124 (Nam-gyu) to contend with. He may not rap, but he is literally the worst.
Sadly, player 390 Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) died in the finale to punish Gi-hun for his coup. The loss of his best friend will no doubt intensify in the coming season once he learns of Young-il’s betrayal. Speaking of said betrayal…
What will happen in Squid Game season 3?
Hasn’t Gi-hun learned by now? Player number 001 is always a bad egg. Still, we can’t blame him too harshly for being fooled. If we hadn’t witnessed Hwang In-ho’s chilling evil as the Front Man in season one, we too would have fallen for his loyal Young-il act.
As for season three, there can be no doubt that the games will continue in possibly an even more brutal fashion following Gi-hun’s coup, but there will be huge consequences to face because of the players' uprising. Some of the players who participated have already been killed; what that will mean for the remaining rebels is unclear but if not death, an example is likely to be made out of them.
The wounded and captured Gi-hun will feel the brunt of this the most, we would assume, unless detective (or is it former detective?) Jun-ho and his crew pull through and locate the island where the games are being held. Jun-ho will first have to deal with the betrayal on his side, with his not-so-loyal friend working against him to stop him from finding Gi-hun and the games.
Meanwhile, things inside the belly of the squid are about to get tougher for the pregnant Jun-hee, who is close to delivery and no closer to getting out. Could she have her baby in the middle of this chaos?
Ultimately, the final season will be a battle between Seong Gi-hun and those in charge of the games, starting with the Front Man. He will stop at nothing to take them down, a feeling that will possibly have been reignited owing to the guilt he feels over Jung-bae’s death. One way or another, there will be a resolution. What that will look like is anyone’s guess.
When sharing how season three would tie in, Hwang told Digital Spy exclusively: "If you look at seasons two and three from a larger perspective, it is a single story, but in the midst of it, there is this inflection point that sort of catapults the story into a different direction, which is going to be the ending of season two."
All we can say is expect more blood, more betrayal and more heartache.
Is there a trailer for Squid Game season 3?
Young-hee may have been put out to pasture judging by season three's teaser clip.
The first-look footage, featured on Instagram, shows the arrival of newbie Chul-su, and if possible, this plastic doll's placid face makes him look like an even more haunting successor. It's all in the creepy smile.
Beyond confirming the 2025 release window for the final season, the clip doesn't give anything else away, so fans will have to wait for an official trailer.
Normally we'd advise you'd brace yourself for a long wait, but in the case of Squid Game season three, there could be a trailer quite early in the year.
If the K-drama is indeed set for a summer release, sneak-peek footage could be ready sometime in March. This is all speculative, of course, but as soon as we have more concrete news we'll be the first to update you. For now, enjoy the season-two trailer above.
Squid Game is available on Netflix.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
