About a year ago, Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss signed a lucrative exclusive deal with Netflix, and now we finally know what the first fruit of this partnership will be. Deadline is reporting this morning that the pair are working on a major new sci-fi series for the streaming giant, an adaptation of book trilogy The Three-Body Problem.
Written by Chinese author Liu Cixin, The Three-Body Problem – which consists of Remembrance of Earth’s Past, The Dark Forest and Death’s End – explores humanity’s first contact with alien civilization. Set against a sprawling backdrop, the first novel follows Ye Wenjie, who attempts to help aliens invade Earth following the death of her father during China’s Cultural Revolution. Elsewhere, different factions on Earth plan differing ways to welcome the invaders.
“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. We look forward to spending the next years of our lives bringing this to life for audiences around the world,” said Benioff and Weiss in their official statement.
Cixin had the following to share about the announcement:
“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.”
Benioff and Weiss have teamed up with a range of notable creative partners to bring this project to life. Alexander Woo, creator of AMC’s The Terror: Infamy, will write and produce alongside the duo, while Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson will exec produce. Brad Pitt’s Plan B production company are also involved, as is Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike through her Primitive Stream production label.
This is the first drama that the pair will write since Game of Thrones ended after eight seasons last year. Though the divisive final run of the HBO hit damaged their winning streak somewhat, there will no doubt be a huge amount of interest in The Three-Body Problem when it eventually arrives on Netflix.
Tell us, though, does this new project from the duo excite you? Or will you be skipping out on it? Be sure to let us know in the usual place down below.