Netflix has announced a new original series from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, which will be inspired by Liu Cixin's award-winning book trilogy The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth's Past).Peter Friedlander, Netflix VP of Original Series, shared all of the details about the project on the company's official blog. In the post, he explained that the streamer had been granted rights from The Three-Body Universe and Yoozoo Group to produce the English-language series adaptation of the epic sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem and its two sequels, The Dark Forest and Death's End.The first book in the trilogy tells "the story of humanity's first contact with an alien civilization," portraying a vision of the future that sees "all of humanity vulnerable to the same external threat" and addresses "how this both unifies and divides humans." Author Liu Cixin has joined Netflix's project as a consulting producer with Ken Liu, who wrote the English translation for two volumes in the series.
In addition, former True Blood scribe and The Terror: Infamy showrunner Alexander Woo has boarded the creative team for the Netflix series as a writer and executive producer alongside Benioff and Weiss, who have joined the project via their Netflix overall deal, together with executive producers Rian Johnson and producing partner Ram Bergman. Friedlander describes them all as being "fierce advocates for the source material."
"David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo have experience tackling ambitious sagas over time and space. Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman have long dazzled fans with thrilling and mind-bending epics," said Friedlander. "As ardent fans, it was especially meaningful to us to get the support of Liu Cixin who created this expansive universe. We all share the same goal: to pay homage to this incredible story and take members on the adventure of a lifetime."
Author Liu Cixin said of the project: "I have the greatest respect for and faith in the creative team adapting The Three-Body Problem for television audiences. I set out to tell a story that transcends time and the confines of nations, cultures and races; one that compels us to consider the fate of humankind as a whole. It is a great honor as an author to see this unique sci-fi concept travel and gain fandom across the globe and I am excited for new and existing fans all over the world to discover the story on Netflix."
"Liu Cixin's trilogy is the most ambitious science-fiction series we've read, taking readers on a journey from the 1960s until the end of time, from life on our pale blue dot to the distant fringes of the universe," said writers and exec producers Benioff and Weiss in a statement. "We look forward to spending the next years of our lives bringing this to life for audiences around the world."
"It's a privilege to be adapting one of the great masterpieces of Chinese science-fiction," added Woo. "The Three-Body Problem trilogy combines so many things I love: rich, multi-layered characters and true existential stakes – all told as an elegant and deeply human allegory. I'm thrilled to kick off my partnership with Netflix with this accomplished creative team."Netflix Spotlight: September 2020Bernadette Caulfield rounds out the creative team as an executive producer, together with Nena Rodrigue, T-Street's President of Television, Lin Qi, Chairman of the rights-holders, and Zhao Jilong, Vice President of The Three-Body Universe. Plan B Entertainment will help to bring the literary property to the screen in conjunction with Primitive Streak's Rosamund Pike and Robie Uniacke.
While you're waiting for this mind-bending new drama to hit your screens, check out everything that is new to Netflix this month to fill up your watchlist, take a look at our rundown of the biggest shows coming to streaming in the second half of the year, and discover more about the very best original movies on the streaming service to have a listen to that classic "ta-dum" sound again.
Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.