Editorial
What is the 3 Body Problem show about? Game of Thrones showrunners’ new series explained
David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones, have come together again for their latest project, “3 Body Problem,” which is now airing on Netflix. This new series has sparked a lot of excitement, mainly because of Benioff and Weiss’s involvement and the story it’s based on.
A lot has happened behind the scenes during the show’s production. One interesting thing is that many actors from Game of Thrones have joined the cast of “3 Body Problem,” working alongside Benioff and Weiss again. This has made people even more excited about the show, which became popular on Netflix in several countries after its release.
This article discusses “3 Body Problem” in detail, explaining how it was created and revealing important information about the show.
What is the 3 Body Problem about?
3 Body Problem is a science fiction TV series set to premiere on Netflix on March 21, 2024. Created by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, the show is based on Liu Cixin’s novel of the same name. The official trailer for the series premiered on 10 Jan 2024. You can watch the trailer here:
The story centers on astrophysicist Ye Wenjie, who witnesses her father’s murder during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Because of her scientific skills, the military drafts her. In the 1960s, she was sent to a secret radar base in a remote part of China. Her decisions there have effects that reach far across time and space.
Her choices affect a group of scientists in present times who have to deal with a serious danger to humanity.
Some of the main actors are Benedict Wong playing Da Shi and Rosalind Chao playing Ye Wenjie. The cast also includes actors who were in Game of Thrones, like John Bradley playing Jack Rooney, Jonathan Pryce playing Mike Evans, and Liam Cunningham playing Wade.
The eight-episode series cost about $200 million to make and was released on March 21, 2024. Jason Concepcion and Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock host a podcast connected to the series.
Read More: Liam Cunningham prepares for an alien invasion in 3 Body Problem trailer
Who are the cast members of 3 Body Problem?
Benioff and Weiss brought back familiar faces from Game of Thrones without hesitation for their new project. Well-known actors like John Bradley, Jonathan Pryce, and Liam Cunningham will have important roles.
Pryce plays the older version of wealthy oil tycoon Mike Evans, while Ben Schnetzer portrays a younger Mike in the past.
Rosalind Chao portrays the present-day Ye Wenjie, while Zine Tseng plays her younger self in the past. Cunningham will be Wade, a charismatic leader in a top intelligence group.
Bradley’s character, Jack Rooney, is part of the “Oxford Five,” a group of scientists who are central to the story. Other members include Jin Cheng (played by Jess Hong), Saul Durand (played by Jovan Adepo), Augustina ‘Auggie’ Salazar (played by Eiza González), and Will Downing (played by Alex Sharp).
Benedict Wong from Doctor Strange will play an intelligence officer named Da Shi. The cast also includes Tatiana (played by Marlo Kelly), a loyal follower of Evans, Jin’s boyfriend, and naval officer Raj Varma (played by Saamer Usmani). Additionally, there are two advanced virtual reality creations: Follower (played by Eve Ridley) and Sophon (played by Sea Shimooka).
What is the 3 Body Problem based on?
The Netflix series is based on a Chinese science fiction book called The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. It’s the first book in a trilogy called Remembrance of Earth’s Past, which some people call The Three-Body Problem or Three-Body. The story happens in a universe where Earth meets an alien civilization from a nearby system with three sun-like stars. This causes a problem called the three-body problem in space science.
The book was first published in parts in a magazine called Science Fiction World in 2006 and then as a complete book in 2008. It won the Galaxy Award for Chinese science fiction in 2006 and was seen as one of the most successful sci-fi books by 2012. An English version translated by Ken Liu came out in 2014, and it was the first Asian book to win a Hugo Award for Best Novel. It was also nominated for a Nebula Award.
Liu Cixin was born in Beijing in 1963 and worked as an engineer before becoming a writer. In addition to the Remembrance of Earth’s Past series, he wrote “Supernova Era” and “Ball Lightning.” Liu wrote about 3000–5000 words daily, and each book took about a year to finish.
The book’s story doesn’t happen in order; it jumps around in time.
The Three-Body Problem made Chinese sci-fi more popular worldwide. The English version was very well received. Famous people like George R. R. Martin, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama said good things about it. People compared it to books by renowned sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke.
Readers in the West liked that the book needed a more straightforward message about right and wrong. It talked about being logical and asked extensive questions about what would happen to humanity.