Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘Squid Game’ casting would raise one key dilemma for Dong-hyuk

Leonardo DiCaprio has been greenlit to appear in an upcoming Squid Game episode, or even season, of his choice according to series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk. But would his appearance on the show be a windfall for the unlikely hit series, or would it be its downfall?

Dong-hyuk revealed during today’s media conference celebrating the series’ multiple Emmy wins that DiCaprio, who he claims to be a big fan of the show, would be a welcome guest or star for season 3. “Leonardo DiCaprio did say he’s a big fan of Squid Game,” he said, cheekily, “so maybe if time or chances allow, we can ask him to join the games. We have already joked about that,” reported Deadline.

But all jokes aside, would it be wise to bring in an American A-Lister to the cast at this point, or even in the future? Especially one who carries the reputation (and, let’s face it, the baggage) of Leonardo DiCaprio? DiCaprio has a fanbase that goes all the way back to the halcyon days of “Leomania” that followed his starring role in Titanic, and he has made his way up the rungs of Hollywood movie stardom to be regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation, not to mention the current muse of legendary director Martin Scorsese.

Bringing in DiCaprio almost seems to parallel Squid Game‘s theme of deadly consequences for seemingly low-stakes games. A star of that caliber joining the cast of relative unknowns seems like setting off a nuclear warhead to win a game of monopoly. Adding any major global star could have a seriously detrimental effect on the show, distracting from the very charms that have made the series such a phenomenon.

Fortunately, fans won’t have to worry about that when it comes to the upcoming second season. “There will be no known Hollywood actor in season two,” Dong-hyuk stated at the conference, according to Deadline. “That’s not in the plan and if the stage changes, maybe in season three.”