A show billed as the "American version" that the crew planned to shoot in the UK — that mismatch was baked into "Heckler" from the start. According to The Playlist, Netflix has officially pulled the plug on the English-language "Squid Game" spinoff long developed under David Fincher, code-named "Heckler." Once considered the most anticipated expansion of the entire IP, the project has now come to an end.
The writer attached was Dennis Kelly, creator of "Utopia," who has a history with Fincher — their previous collaboration on an HBO adaptation of "Utopia" also collapsed before filming began. This time, "Heckler" made it as far as a completed script and a confirmed shooting location, yet still couldn't escape the same fate, making it in some ways the duo's second unfinished project together.
According to the report, the shutdown wasn't the result of a single decision but rather a slow grind of attrition: multiple leadership changes at Netflix, combined with Fincher himself shifting focus to other projects — including his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," set to hit IMAX this Thanksgiving. All of these factors compounded, gradually pushing "Heckler" further down the production priority list.
More critically, Netflix has reportedly changed its overall vision for the "Squid Game" universe. Rather than expanding the IP through a single American-led series, the platform is now shifting toward developing localized spinoffs for different countries. In other words, "Heckler" wasn't just shelved — it became the first casualty of this new strategic direction.
Much of the buzz around this project actually stemmed from a single shot in the original series finale: Cate Blanchett appearing as an American recruiter in a Los Angeles scene, which fans widely interpreted as setup for Fincher's spinoff. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has repeatedly denied any connection between the two, and The Playlist's report now confirms there's no evidence Blanchett was ever actually attached to the "Heckler" cast — even though she herself had previously expressed openness to returning to the franchise.
