D.B. Weiss and David Benioff made a return to form with their latest offering, Netflix’s 3 Body Problem. A science fiction story that is more than an average alien invasion, the creators of the show revealed in an interview what they were influenced by while making this show.
Among the many influences that the show pulled from, one influence in particular was something that came up time and time again, something the creators of the show discussed at length during the interview.
3 Body Problem took some inspiration from V
One of the many influences on the film was a 1980s miniseries, V, that Weiss and Benioff watched as kids and even read the novelization of. When asked about the influence it had on 3 Body Problem, Benioff said, in an interview with Josh Horowitz:
“Oh yeah, it definitely came up, you know. We were talking earlier today about, you know, you don’t necessarily see the alien in our show, but there is that great moment in V, where I think, her skin gets torn, if I remember it correctly? You see the lizard skin beneath?”
To which Weiss interjected with
“We make jokes about Jess tears her skin, a character in the show, and there is like lizard skin underneath”
V was also an alien invasion story and was lauded for its take on the genre. The miniseries was short-lived but would spawn a franchise, that would attempt a revival as late as 2009. While the creators jested about how influenced they were by the show and its novelization, it was clear that V was one of the more influential works that they referenced.
The alien invasion story has people collaborating with the ‘Visitors’ for personal gain and wealth, while others are fighting the good fight against the genocidal aliens. The franchise as a whole explores these themes over the course of the miniseries, but brings them back for subsequent entries as well.
Despite initial backlash, it seems times are changing for D.B. Weiss and David Benioff
Despite all the backlash that the duo received after the end of Game of Thrones, it seems like the Three-Body Problem adaptationhas been doing well. Hailed by critics and fans alike and receiving a recommendation from Hideo Kojima himself, the show might finally undo the damage that was done by rushing the end of Game of Thrones, which landed the duo in hot water with studios and fans alike.
However, there is a myriad of projects that the duo could be working on, given that they signed a multi-year deal with Netflix right before their exit from Game of Thrones. While another hit on a streaming giant or the theatre is what it will take for studios to start trusting the duo again, it will definitely be a while before Benioff and Weiss are handed anything as big as Game of Thrones.
3 Body Problem is currently streaming on Netflix
