Netflix to Bring Chinese Sci-Fi’s ‘Three-Body’ Trilogy to Life

Many sci-fi fans in China say they’re looking forward to a top-notch production, but some doubt whether the American streaming giant can do the famously abstract books justice.

Acclaimed Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin’s “Three-Body Problem” trilogy is coming soon to a computer screen near you.

The American streaming site Netflix announced Tuesday that it had acquired the rights to produce the English-language adaptation of the books from China’s Yoozoo Group. D.B. Weiss and David Benioff — co-creators of HBO’s historically popular “Game of Thrones” — will serve as executive producers of the show, along with Alexander Woo, who produced the vampire series “True Blood.” Meanwhile, Liu Cixin and Ken Liu, the translator for the trilogy’s English editions, will be consulting producers.

“I have the greatest respect for and faith in the creative team adapting ‘The Three-Body Problem’ for television audiences,” Liu Cixin said in Netflix’s press release. “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.”

The “Three-Body” trilogy, officially titled “Remembrance of Earth’s Past,” explores the relationship between Earthlings and Trisolarans, an advanced alien civilization. The series’ first installment won the Hugo Award in 2015 and has garnered praise from high-profile figures, including former U.S. President Barack Obama. Translated versions of the books have sold millions of copies worldwide.

Peter Friedlander, Netflix’s vice president of original drama series, said that having the writer and translator on board as consulting producers “will help ensure that the spirit of the books remains intact.”

Netflix’s announcement has delivered excitement to sci-fi fans, who say they’re looking forward to world-class visual effects in the series. However, some are less enthusiastic, blaming the “Game of Thrones” co-creators for “rushed plots and inconsistent characters” in the hit fantasy show’s final season. Though skeptics are worried the “Three-Body” adaptation could suffer from the same lackluster denouement, Liu Cixin for his part seems confident in its ultimate success. Continue to read the full article here

 

– This article originally appeared on Sixth Tone.