David Benioff and D. B. Weiss of Game of Thrones fame divulged details about their latest Netflix outing, 3 Body Problem, and how they intend to handle its future. The duo, who’ve had experiences with dabbling in prestige television, have been joined by Alexander Woo as the series showrunners of the live-action adaptation of Liu Cixin’s uber-successful Chinese novel The Three-Body Problem.
In a recent interview, these creatives at the show’s helm revealed how they mapped out the show’s trajectory in coming seasons since there is enough material to prompt future installments. The Three-Body Problem is the first in Liu’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy of novels, with the second and third having more to offer.
With the creators having a more concrete vision of how to approach the source, fans could (potentially) expect to avoid another Game of Thrones fiasco.
3 Body Problem Creators Have A Clear Understanding Of The Show’s Future
The Netflix sci-fi 3 Body Problem has been touted as one of the anticipated 2024 series releases.
With D. B. Weiss, David Benioff, and Alexander Woo spearheading the show, it’s no wonder the general audience caught on to its promise and has turned to it with high expectations. Since the intention is to adapt the other two novels in Liu Cixin’s acclaimed trilogy, the creators talked to Collider about their farsightedness regarding the project’s future.
Not only do they have the future installments well-outlined, but they’re also actively working around the possibility of a second season while the verdict of Netflix renewing the show looms over its head. While they did admit that the prospect of a third iteration may propose a hazier outlook, there are still moments from the third novel that drove them to the adaptation in the first place.
Following was co-creator Weiss’ statement:
“For Season 2, we’ve got better than a rough idea. We’re much farther along with that plan than rough idea stages. From there on out, it becomes, you know, the farther away things get, the hazier your view of them is.”
Of a third installment, he said:
“But there, in the third book, there’s so many amazing landmarks, in terms of scenes and situations and events that we can see pretty clearly, that we know, we’re not completely sure how our characters are [going to] get to that place, but we know they gotta get to that place.”
Concluding, D. B. Weiss affirmed:
“Because that place, and that place, and that place are the reason we pick these books up and wanted to adapt them in the first place.”
Could viewers reasonably expect the creators (barring Alexander Woo) to avoid making the same mistakes twice in light of this vision? Much of what proved detrimental to Weiss and Benioff’s Game of Thrones and its concluding season included the show eclipsing the source material, presumably with little to fall back on, and, furthermore, what seemed to many fans the lack of proper planning.
Since Liu Cixin’s novels serve as a backbone to 3 Body Problem, allowing the show a more defined vision for itself, such dilemmas could be the least of our concerns. It’s too early to discern, though. For now, we are endowed with the liberty of exploring the world the 2024 Netflix release is slated to present and decide for ourselves how it fared.
3 Body Problem Creators May Require 3-4 Seasons To Tell The Whole Story
In the same interview, David Benioff delved into the number of seasons required to bring Liu Cixin’s three-book epic to life. Although the first and second seasons aim to encapsulate the first two installments in the author’s sci-fi trilogy, it is the adaptation of the third novel where things may diverge from the earlier format. Benioff confessed:
“The third book is massive. It’s twice as long, I think, as the other two books. So maybe that’s one season, maybe it’s two. But, you know, I think we’d need at least three, maybe four seasons to tell the whole story.”
While the showrunners have distinct ambitions regarding the future, it all ultimately depends on Netflix’s decision to continue with the show.
Based on reviews from critics, 3 Body Problem presently has a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although not a meager score by most standards, it remains to be seen whether or not the audience reciprocates with a higher fervor, given the notorious reputation of streamers canceling a project after one or two seasons.
Following is Netflix‘s description of the 2024 release:
“The story begins in 1960s China when a young woman makes a fateful decision that reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel, a tight-knit group of brilliant scientists must join forces with an unflinching detective to stop humanity’s greatest threat.”
If that piques your interest, then 3 Body Problem will be right up your alley, hopefully satiating all your sci-fi needs. The series premiered on March 21, 2024, and is available for streaming on Netflix.
