Humanity is doomed in a new series from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. That’s right, whether you like it or not, a new show by the creators of Game of Thrones has just been released on Netflix.
The famous duo has adapted a sci-fi novel series by Chinese writer Cixin Liu, Remembrance of Earth’s Past. The trilogy’s first volume, The Three-Body Problem, inspired the show’s title.
Instead of battles for the crown and fire-breathing dragons, the Game of Thrones showrunners are focusing on an Earth overshadowed by the threat of invasion from an alien civilisation. It follows the link between the deaths of the world’s best scientists and a fateful decision made by an astrophysicist, and how these events affect the future of mankind.
Along with Benioff and Weiss, Alexander Woo is a co-creator of the new series. It is directed by Derek Tsang.
Here’s all the key information on the upcoming adaptation of Cixin Liu’s trilogy.
If you’re interested in sci-fi/mystery TV, you might want to take a look at our round-up on Severance season 2.
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When is 3 Body Problem’s release date?
The series is now available on Netflix. It consists of 8 episodes.
David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo’s show premiered on Thursday, 21 March 2024.
What is the plot of 3 Body Problem?
The story begins in 1960s China, during the Cultural Revolution. A young astrophysicist, Ye Wenjie, witnesses the execution of her father. Years later, disillusioned with humanity, she makes a discovery that could change the fate of all mankind: there is intelligent life in space. However, the beings with whom the scientist makes contact with are searching for a planet to colonise.
Created by writer Cixin Liu, the series consists of the novels The Three-Body Problem, The Dark Forest and Death’s End. The plot is spread over decades as humanity prepares for the inevitable invasion, and time jumps aren’t uncommon.
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It’s unclear whether season 1 of the Netflix series is a screen adaptation of the first volume or whether it depicts the events of the whole trilogy, but our guess would be that they’ve left more to come.
However, adapting the story was undoubtedly challenging, especially since the creators wanted to make it accessible to a broad audience.
As director Derek Tsang said (via Netflix):
Alexander Woo added:
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3 Body Problem cast
The series features lesser-known and perfectly familiar faces (including actors that Game of Thrones fans will recognise). Here’s the list:
- Rosalind Chao – Ye Wenjie
- Benedict Wong – Da Shi
- John Bradley – Jack Rooney
- Jovan Adepo – Saul Durand
- Liam Cunningham – Thomas Wade
- Jonathan Pryce – Mike Evans
- Eiza González – Auggie Salazar
- Jess Hong – Jin Cheng
- Marlo Kelly – Tatiana
- Eve Ridley – Follower
- Alex Sharp – Will Downing
- Sea Shimooka – Sophon
3 Body Problem trailer
The first teaser of the series promises a journey into unknown worlds:
The official trailer teases dark mysteries and inexplicable events:
The final trailer for the series sheds some more light on the plot:
