The first novel, for which Liu became the first writer in Asia to win the prestigious Hugo Award in 2015, is set during the Cultural Revolution when humans establish contact with an alien civilization on the edge of extinction. After the aliens invade earth, humans split off into two camps: one in favor of takeover by the superior aliens and the other determined to resist. “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,” Benioff and Weiss told Deadline in a statement.
Their long list of collaborators for “The Three-Body Problem” include Woo, showrunner of the AMC’s horror anthology season “The Terror: Infamy,” who will write and executive produce alongside the “Game of Thrones” creators. Johnson (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Knives Out”) will executive produce with his producing partner Ram Bergman. Plan B, run by Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner, and Dede Gardner, will executive produce alongside Pike and Robie Uniacke via their company Primitive Streak. Lin Qi, chairman of rights-holders Yoozoo Group and The Three-Body Universe, and Zhao Jilong, VP of The Three-Body Universe, will also executive produce alongside Bernadette Caulfield, a “Game of Thrones” executive producer who is now president of Benioff and Weiss’ company, and Nena Rodrigue, president of TV for Johnson and Bergman’s company. Liu will serve as a consulting producer alongside Ken Liu, who wrote the English translation for two books in the series. “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 said. The series counts former President Barack Obama among its fans. He called it “wildly imaginative” in a 2017 New York Times interview about his favorite books, a list which also includes “Gone Girl.”
Benioff and Weiss’ deal with Netflix is reportedly worth as much as $300 million for five years. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
