Netflix’s The Three-Body Problem: Release Date, Trailer, Cast, Plot & More
Netflix continues picking some epic foreign material and adapting it into original TV shows. One of those new projects is The Three-Body Problem, a series based on the books in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past series by the Chinese sci-fi author Liu Cixin.
The books are highly praised by many fiction authors of today, including George R.R. Martin, the mind behind A Song of Ice and Fire. That’s interesting because the producers and writers of Game of Thrones, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, are spearheading The Three-Body problem as well.
Want to know what the hype is about? Keep reading to learn everything we know about Netflix’s The Three-Body Problem so far, including the release date, cast and crew, plot, trailer, and more.
The Three-Body Problem Release date
The exact date for the premiere of the first season of The Three-Body Problem hasn’t been officially announced yet. However, the platform gained adaptation rights back in September 2020 and announced that the show will definitely premiere somewhere in 2023.
It’s expected that the show will likely have three seasons, each one following the plot from one of Liu’s books (the series is a trilogy), but it will all depend on how much the producers want to concise the story, and how successful the first season will be.
The Three-Body Problem Cast & Crew
On October 29th, 2021, Netflix officially announced the primary 12 cast members for the show. They are, as follows alphabetically:
- Jovan Adepo (Watchmen)
- John Bradley (Game of Thrones)
- Tsai Chin (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
- Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones)
- Elza González (Baby Driver)
- Jess Hong (Inked)
- Marlo Kelly (Dare Me)
- Alex Sharp (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time)
- Sea Shimooka (Arrow)
- Zine Tseng
- Saamer Usmani (Succession)
- Benedict Wong (Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
Some of the more notable names on the list are Benedict Wong (Wong from the MCU), Liam Cunningham (Lord Davos Seaworth in Game of Thrones), John Bradley (Sam Tarly in Game of Thrones), Sameer Usmani (Chase from Netflix’s Inventing Anna), and others.
Later, more actors and actresses were confirmed for the show:
- Russel Yuen (ought to play Emperor Zhou)
- Stacy Abalogun (ought to play Thelma)
- Tony Leung (not confirmed)
- Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes, Game of Thrones)
- Rosalind Chao (Better Things)
- Ben Schnetzer (Y: The Last Man)
- Eve Ridley (Peppa Pig)
As for the crew, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (Game of Thrones) will join Alexander Woo (True Blood) as creators and executive producers.
Star Wars and Knives Out director Rian Johnson is also a producer on the project (although it’s unclear if he’ll direct the show, too), and we’ve seen Brad Pitt and Rosamund Pike attached to the project as producers, too.
Andrew McCarthy is spearheading Scenography, while Ashley Lamont will be the supervising art director. Michael Ruscio is in charge of editing.
Finally, Minkie Spire was confirmed to direct at least three episodes, while Derek Tsang will be responsible for at least one.
The Three-Body Problem Plot
The exact plot is still unknown – at least not in terms of how far the first season of the show will take us in Liu Cixin’s book series. If the series follows one book per season, which seems likely, the first season will cover the plot of The Three-Body Problem, the first book in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past series.
It is set in the near future when a Cultural Revolution is shaking China. Scientists have sent a radio message into space and revealed Earth’s location to the Trisolaris, an alien race on the brink of extinction, who are now on their way to invade Earth.
They will need centuries to arrive, though, so humanity has time to prepare and develop a strategy for the first contact. In the meantime, the differences in opinion start to form different camps on Earth, some being pro-alien, wanting to welcome superior intelligence, and others who think the Earth should fight the invaders.
The Three-Body Problem Trailer
Unfortunately, The Three-Body Problem does not have a trailer yet, as it’s still quite early in the production process. Hence, the trailer likely won’t drop for a while more, especially since we don’t even have the release date yet.
The Three-Body Problem Genre & Other Facts
The Three-Body Problem series is classified as Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, and Sci-Fi, but it also has some elements of horror. Of course, it depends on what you find terrifying. Some fans believe it’s not as scary as it is riveting, while others have called The Three-Body problem the ‘most horrifying sci-fi book series’ they’ve ever read.
We’ll see in which direction the series will go. Meanwhile, it’s interesting to note that at least three countries were confirmed as filming locations: the USA (New York City), the UK (London, England), and China.
That would indicate the show likely has a hefty budget, which isn’t crazy, considering the strength of the production team and the names behind the project.