David Fincherhas already planted the seeds for theSquid Gameremake he’s developing for Netflix in one of the best (and earliest) thrillers of his cinematic career.Deadlinehas reported that, as part of his development deal with Netflix, Fincher is working on an English-language remake of one of the streamer’s biggest shows. Hwang Dong-hyuk is already finishing up a second season of the original South KoreanSquid Gameseries that’s set for release on July 07, 2025. But afterSquid Gameseason 2is released, Fincher will get to work on his American remake throughout 2025.
While this isn’t technically the first officialSquid Gamespin-off — Netflix has already released the unscripted offshootSquid Game: The Challenge— it will be the first scripted spin-off to cash in on the franchise. Netflix hasn’t released any plot details, but the new show is confirmed to take place in America.A Hollywood remake ofSquid Gameis a major risk, as is any Hollywood remake of an overseas production that’s already perfect in its original form. But one ofFincher’s best moviesproves he’s adept at handling these themes and can nail this kind of twisted storyline.

Fincher’s Squid Game Remake Brings His Career Full Circle After The Game
Squid Game Is Essentially The Game On A Much Larger Scale
Fincher’s work on an American remake ofSquid Gameis bringing his career full circle afterhis 1997 psychological thrillerThe Game.The Gamewas Fincher’s third feature filmafterAlien 3andSe7en, and it established his penchant for creating mind-bending Hitchcockian thrillers full of surprising twists and turns.Michael Douglas stars as a wealthy investment banker who receives a mysterious birthday present from his brother: taking part in a sadistic gamethat entangles a bizarre conspiracy with his everyday life. As the line begins to blur, he’s not sure what’s real and what’s part of the game.
There are a lot of common themes between Squid Game and The Game. They both revolve around regular people whose real lives get caught up in a strange game from which they can’t escape, and they both build to a shocking twist ending.

While it was initially a box office disappointment,The Gamehas been praised for its unsettling atmosphere and the cast’s powerful performances. It’s since become regarded as one of Fincher’s most underrated movies. There are a lot of common themes betweenSquid GameandThe Game. They both revolve around regular people whose real lives get caught up in a strange game from which they can’t escape, and they both build to a shocking twist ending. If Fincher’sSquid Gameremake is anything likeThe Game, then it’s in very safe hands.
The Game Is One Of Many Examples Of Why Fincher Is Right For Squid Game
Fincher Has A Long History Of Twisty, Mind-Bending Thrillers
The Gameis just one of several twisty, confounding thrillers that prove Fincher is a good fit for theSquid Gamefranchise.Se7enshowcased Fincher’s ability to tell an intriguing mystery storyand lead the audience along with each successive clue. Following John Doe’s murder spree is like a twisted game in itself.Gone Girlshowcased Fincher’s ability to build an epic, character-driven narrative around a shocking plot twist.LikeSquid Game, it has a high-concept premise, but it’s really about the people— it doesn’t get too swept up in the gimmick of that conceit.
The Gamewas ranked no. 44 on Bravo’sThe 100 Scariest Movie Moments.

A lot ofFincher’s best villainsplay diabolical games with the heroes.Gone Girl’s Amy Dunne fakes her own disappearance just to mess with her husband.Panic Roomsees a band of burglars playing mind games with Jodie Foster’s single mother as she takes shelter in her new home’s high-tech safe room.The Social Networkturns the creation of Facebook into a battle of wits between a group of college buddies.Squid Gamepresents the perfect subject matter for the next entry in the Fincher oeuvre.
Netflix’s American Squid Game Will Have To Be Great To Justify Its Existence
If It’s Not Great, There’s No Point
Fincher’s English-languageSquid Gameremakewill have a tough time justifying its existence.The original South Korean show is already a perfect take on this premisethat’s available to stream in all its glory. If this new Hollywood remake isn’t at least as great as the original, then it’ll seem like a waste of time. This is the case with most American remakes of non-English-language productions. If a piece of world cinema is good enough to be remade, then audiences can just check out the original. The remake has to go above and beyond just to matter.
Squid Game Season 2’s Trailer Hints The Story Is Totally Different Than I Thought
The trailer for Squid Game season 2 is not at all what I expected out of Netflix’s hit drama, and it makes me very excited for the new season.
Every time an international production makes a big splash, Hollywood wastes no time trying to make its own version. There are American remakes of everything fromParasitetoTrain to Busanin development, and they all feel so unnecessary when the originals are so perfect. It’s not always a disaster —the recent American remake ofSpeak No Evilwas widely praised as a worthy successor to the Danish original— but it takes a really distinctive vision to make that happen. The fact that veritable visionaryDavid Fincheris on board is a promising sign for Netflix’sSquid Gameremake.
The Game
Cast
Directed by David Fincher, The Game is a mystery thriller released in 1997. Michael Douglas stars as Nicholas Van Orton, an investment banker brought into a mysterious game by his brother hosted by the wealthy. As the game continues to integrate into his life, he begins to see the cracks in the facade of the group’s game, ultimately revealing a dark conspiracy at the center.