Netflix has addressed reports that Leonardo DiCaprio will feature in Squid Game 3, just hours after rumours started circulating on social media.
The Korean hit show debuted its second instalment on December 26 2024, and raked in a staggering 68 million views in its first week, breaking the record previously held by Wednesday.
Following the successful release, the streaming giant announced that season three will premiere in 2025. Rumours soon picked up that the Titanic star would be joining the cast.
Speculation began when the Korean outlet OSEN reported on January 1 that DiCaprio will make a surprise appearance in the hotly-anticipated third series.
The report stated: “Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio will be appearing in the Netflix mega-hit Squid Game Three. Filming has already been completed, and he is said to make a surprise appearance in Season Three, which will be released this summer.
“It is said that the amount of screen time will not be long, and the exact character, etc. are being kept under wraps due to concerns about spoilers.”
However, the streamer has already dismissed the rumours.
A Netflix representative released a statement to Soompi, which read: “The rumours are completely false. Reports of Leonardo DiCaprio’s involvement in Squid Game Season 3 are entirely unfounded.”
Viewers might be disappointed by the latest news, but series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk recently confirmed that the upcoming season will not mark the end of the franchise.
“I know Netflix has a plan. They are not going to abandon this idea,” he told The Wrap.
One significant offshoot of the drama is the English-language version being developed by Hollywood director David Fincher, which was announced in October 2024.
Before Netflix’s response, fans had predicted that the Oscar-winner’s cameo could kick-start the American spin-off. One user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: “What if this is a cameo that sets up the American version of Squid Game?”
Another person echoed: “I do expect there to be a setup of some sort to launch an American version that takes place in the same universe.”
As it stands, Leonardo DiCaprio has no involvement in the Squid Game franchise.
Squid Game is streaming now on Netflix
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