Production of a US spinoff of Netflix's global blockbuster "Squid Game" has effectively been halted. Pictured is the poster for "Squid Game" Season 3. [Netflix]
Production of a US spinoff of Netflix's global blockbuster "Squid Game" has effectively been halted. Pictured is the poster for "Squid Game" Season 3. [Netflix]

Production of a US spinoff of Netflix's global blockbuster "Squid Game" has effectively been halted, according to reports.

US entertainment outlets The Playlist and Gizmodo reported Saturday that Netflix has decided to abandon "Heckler," the working title for the American spinoff it had been developing.

"Heckler" was to be directed by David Fincher, known for "Fight Club," "Zodiac" and "Gone Girl," with Dennis Kelly, writer of the drama series "Utopia," attached as screenwriter. There had been speculation that the project would be produced in the United Kingdom and could begin filming this year.

Anticipation for a US production had grown particularly after the final episode of "Squid Game" Season 3, released last year, featured a scene in which the Front Man — played by Lee Byung-hun — spots Cate Blanchett playing ddakji in a Los Angeles alley.

The project was shelved as internal leadership changes at Netflix and a lengthy development process shifted the streaming platform's priorities. Some analysts suggest Netflix is now more interested in "Squid Game"-related content tailored to individual markets rather than a US-specific production.

One source said, however, that no separate "Squid Game" spinoff set in a specific country or region has actually entered production.

"Squid Game," starring Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, is Netflix's signature global blockbuster. In 2022, it became the first Korean production to win at the Critics Choice Awards in the United States, and that same year swept six prizes at the Emmy Awards — the most prestigious honors in American television — including best director and best actor.

Fincher is currently focused on "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," starring Brad Pitt, which is scheduled for a theatrical release on Nov. 25 and is reported to have additional photography and reshoots planned.

Among the projects being discussed as Fincher's next are a prequel to "Chinatown," a Western titled "Bitterroot," and a feature film he is co-developing with the writer of "Gone Girl."


brunch@heraldcorp.com