Leonardo DiCaprio Could Be Joining 'Squid Game'
Squid Game is riding high after a successful night at the 2022 Emmys and the impending arrival of season 2 on Netflix. The streaming platform just raised the budget after the show's Emmys success, and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk used this as an effort to think big for the show's future.
According to Deadline, Hwang was speaking in a special Squid Game Emmy-winning press conference and revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio is a big fan and has said it publicly "many times."
AIN’T NO GAME. #SquidGame wins SIX Emmy® Awards including Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series🦑🎉
— Squid Game (@squidgame) September 13, 2022
Congratulations to the talented cast & filmmakers who made this happen, and thank you to the Television Academy ‼️ pic.twitter.com/EbibgCvKnE
"Maybe if time allows and if chances allow we should ask him to join the game," Hwang told reporters. "We have already joked about that."
The Netflix hit walked away with six wins at the 2022 Emmys and raised the stakes for season two when it finally arrives in 2024. There is also the proposed reality competition series based on the show, which will likely be far less violent than the series.
As Deadline adds, Hwang's season two plans don't involve any Hollywood celebs just yet, confirming the series will still be set in Korea this season. But he did open up possibilities for a potential third season if the success continues, confirming that a lot of Hollywood stars have revealed they really loved the show.
Hwang is currently writing season two and plotting out some of the various games contestants will attempt to survive. But he was quick to stress he didn't want to give any of the games away and urged the media to stuff it too.
this was epic
— Alicia Hannah-Kim 김해나 (@AliciaHannah) September 13, 2022
#SquidGame pic.twitter.com/pzJgBe1hch
"I beg you not to write articles about the games because the audience needs to feel the suspense and thrill of what's coming next," Hwang said before adding some humor. "If I get too drunk and babble, I ask you to suffocate me to stop me from giving spoilers."
Hwang calls the massive success of the first season "motivation" to at least equal it with season 2, which does have him "feeling the pressure." But he was quick to praise the global market and how it has "blossomed into something wonderful."