The final season of Squid Game has arrived, but not without one last twist that has left fans floored.
*Warning, major Squid Game season three spoilers to follow*
Season three of Netflix’s ultra-popular Korean-language thriller, out now, picks up immediately after the bloody rebellion sparked by Player 456/ Seong Gi-Hun (Lee Jung-jae) in the season two finale.
In an attempt to end the deadly game created by a wealthy elite — where hundreds of cash-strapped individuals fight to the death for a massive cash prize — Gi-Hun re-entered the competition and recruited others to help stage a coup.
But judging by the show’s final scene, which features a cameo by none other than two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, it’s clear the games will only continue — and on a global scale.
In the last moments of the show, the game’s Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) is seen being driven around Downtown Los Angeles. When stopped at a light, he hears the familiar sounds of two ddakji tiles slamming the pavement, followed by a loud slap.
Rolling down the window, he makes eye contact with Blanchett, who’s suited up and locked in a game of ddakji with a seemingly desperate man in an alleyway.
Blanchett and the Front Man exchange a nod of acknowledgement before the latter pulls away, leaving Blanchett to return to her recruit, who begs for another attempt.
“As you wish,” she says.
The Ocean’s Eight actor’s unexpected cameo left fans in complete and utter shock.
“WDYM CATE BLANCHETT IS IN SQUID GAME S3 ?!?!” one wrote on X, with a second arguing that her appearance was “the only good thing about the season.”
“MY JAWS DROPPED??? MOTHER?? IN MY GAME OF SQUIDS?” a third added.
Another commented: “Omg I did not see this coming wow the gag of the century !! I love love cate.”
Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum about the Tár star’s role, director Hwang Dong-hyuk explained: “We thought having a woman as a recruiter would be more dramatic and intriguing.
“And as for why Cate Blanchett, she’s just the best, with unmatched charisma,” he gushed. “Who doesn’t love her? So we were very happy to have her appear. We needed someone who could dominate the screen with just one or two words, which is exactly what she did.
“If Gong Yoo is the Korean Recruiter, I thought she would be the perfect fit as the American Recruiter, bringing a short but gripping and impactful ending to the story,” he noted.
Hwang remembered being deeply impressed by Blanchett’s talent while filming.
“During the shoot, she reminded me of what true talent looks like,” he said. “Even with just a few looks and lines, her performance was mesmerizing.”
But her skills didn’t stop there. “She was amazing at playing ddakji,” Hwang added. “I believe she successfully flipped the ddakji with her first try, and we were able to get that one long take right away.”
Season three of Squid Game is streaming now on Netflix.
