Netflix's new hit 3 Body Problem officially becomes a multi-season show. The creators behind the project were already treating it like one anyways, and it paid off.
Netflix has got the ball rolling again, with upcoming new seasons for beloved shows like Umbrella Academy and Arcane. And now they're tackling a new story that could turn into a multi-season success story: 3 Body Problem.
The sci-fi show is based on the novel The Three-Body Problem by Chinese author Liu Cixin, but it also takes inspiration from later books in the series . Netflix has made some changes to the characters, so if you're of the impatient and/or curious types, you might want to check out the books while waiting for the (potential) second season!
3 Body Problem Has Been Renewed For Season 2!
Just a few weeks after its debut, 3 Body Problem has been officially renewed for a second season:
3 Body Problem has been renewed!"We're thrilled that we get to tell this story through to its epic conclusion. Ever since we read the last page of Cixin Liu's magnificent trilogy, we hoped we'd be able to bring the audience to the end of the universe with us. Here we go!" -... pic.twitter.com/8pSLJF1gru
— Netflix (@netflix) May 15, 2024
Good news for fans, but it's probably going to take a while until the next round of sci-fi-adventures hit our screens – even though the creators of the show have already been working on the second season, long before it was actually greenlit.
Creators Already Working On Season 2
The show's creators, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, are probably best known for Game of Thrones and, frankly, driving a great show against the wall and then calling it a day to work on Star Wars (which didn't even work out). Thank God, they have Alexander Woo (who has worked on True Blood before) at their side.
So, if you're prone to being salty (like me), the pair need to prove they've still got it. But they have shown that, when given the source material, they sure can make amazing television.
And that's just the thing – 3 Body Problem is good on that front, thanks to the original author Liu Cixin.
That's also why D&D were always hopeful when it came to potential future seasons, along with Alexander Woo. In an interview with Vulture, they shared how they plan on moving forward:
We’ve done a good amount of work on the second season. At this point, the shape of it is pretty detailed in terms of character journeys and who lives, who dies, who goes where, how things function. The rest of it … there are three books, so that seems to suggest three seasons. The third book is very long, which might suggest more than three seasons, but we’ve already used a fair amount of the third book. It’s hard to know until you get there.
The showrunners have also shared they are hoping for four seasons. On the Inside Total Film podcast, Weiss also shared that while they don't have the greenlight for season 2 just yet (at the time of the interview), they "keep pushing forward full steam ahead as if [they] did." Working on it as if they already have the go-ahead from Netflix shows ambition and hope, at the very least – and it paid off!
When Could 3 Body Problem Season 2 Release?
Covering the entire book series would indeed make sense, especially considering the ongoing success of the show. The popularity of the first season suggests that the show's success may speak for itself. Furthermore, the conclusion of the first season left several open questions to be addressed in the future. Additionally, the creators' continued enthusiasm for the project bodes well, especially for those who still feel the sting of disappointment from Game of Thrones.
With the official renewal of 3 Body Problem, the showrunners' plans can be set in motion. That could mean, if production starts early, season 2 of 3 Body Problem could release as soon as 2025. That's a lot of ifs and maybes, though. If that's too uncertain for you, you might want to check out the book series.
We'll make sure to keep you updated on the 3 Body Problem front, of course, so stay tuned!