Pop cultural redemption is in sight for Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss as Netflix unveils the first full-length trailer for their wildly ambitious sci-fi series: The Three-Body Problem.
The forthcoming American adaptation of Liu Cixin’s acclaimed trilogy of novels has been written and executive produced by the duo in collaboration with fellow HBO veteran Alexander Woo (True Blood). And as the latter has previously explained, the story involves a “history of humanity from the point of first contact with an alien civilisation all the way to the end of the universe.”
He elaborated during the most recent Netflix Tudum event: “What we are hoping to do is to convey the experience — if not necessarily the exact details — of the novel onto the screen. What stayed, we hope, is the sense of wonderment and the sense of scope, of scale, where the problems are no longer just the problems of an individual or even a nation, but of an entire species.”
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Although similar to the phenomenon observed during the peak of Games of Thrones/A Song of Ice & Fire mania, anyone familiar with the source material behind Netflix’s The Three-Body Problem will smugly tell you, it’s a little more complicated than that…
Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution circa the 1960s, the story begins when a secret military project beams signals into space with the objective of contacting extra-terrestrial life. Soon after, their wish is granted when an alien civilisation on the brink of destruction intercepts the transmission. But their intentions aren’t exactly in the best interest of the humans.
In light of Earth’s imminent invasion, different camps begin forming: some welcoming the superior species with the view our world is irredeemably corrupt and beyond saving, others dedicated to rebelling against the cosmic overlords.
Netflix’s The Three-Body Problem has reunited Benioff and Weiss with Thrones alum John Bradley, who portrayed Samwell Tarly, and Liam Cunningham, who portrayed Ser Davos the Onion Knight.
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Other members of the cast include Benedict Wong (The Martian, Doctor Strange), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver, Ambulance), Jovan Adepo (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Watchmen), Jess Hong (Inked), Zine Tseng (On A Whim), Alex Sharp (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Saamer Usmani (Succession) — as well as rising Aussie star Marlo Kelly, who you may have encountered in Home & Away, Dare Me, and Peacock’s Joe vs Carole.
Knives Out writer-director Rian Johnson and Brad Pitt himself are also among the executive producers; while Liu Cixin and English translator Ken Kiu will serve as consulting producers. This represents the first project of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ $200 million multi-year Netflix deal inked back in 2019.
Netflix has confirmed The Three-Body Problem release date: March 21st, 2024 — check out the full-length trailer above.
