TV
Netflix and “Game of Thrones” Team Adapting Sci-fi Novel Trilogy “The Three-Body Problem”
International best-seller The Three-Body Problem is being turned into a Netflix original series, an English-language adaptation of Chinese author Liu Cixin‘s science fiction trilogy.
Telling the story of humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization, the trilogy will be adapted by writers and executive producers David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (“Game of Thrones”), and Alexander Woo (“The Terror: Infamy,” “True Blood”), as well as executive producers Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman (Looper, Knives Out, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi).
“The first time I read The Three-Body Problem trilogy (Remembrance of Earth’s Past), it changed what science fiction meant to me forever,” Netflix’s VP of Original Series, Peter Friendlaner, said in a statement today. “Although it may seem like a familiar premise – the story of humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization – Chinese author Liu Cixin’s ability to interweave science with fiction made his vision of the future and extra-terrestrial contact feel more realistic than any other science fiction I’ve read. At the same time, I was also drawn in by the story of all of humanity vulnerable to the same external threat and how this both unifies and divides humans.”
He continued, “Since my earliest days at Netflix working on series like Black Mirror and Sense8, I’ve sought out stories and POVs that are singular. This story felt singular, special – and eminently relatable. That’s why I’m pleased to announce that the Hugo Award-winning The Three-Body Problem and its two sequels are coming to Netflix as a series. We have been granted the rights from The Three-Body Universe and Yoozoo Group to produce the English-language series adaptation and have assembled a talented and thoughtful creative team to do so. Every person involved not only shares a passion and high esteem for the books, but also the creative vision and ambition to help bring this remarkable story to life for audiences around the world.”
Authors Liu Cixin and Ken Liu will serve as consulting producers for the mind-bending drama.
The creative team also includes executive producers Bernadette Caulfield (“Game of Thrones,” “The X-Files”), newly-installed President of Benioff & Weiss’ production company; Nena Rodrigue, President of Television for Johnson and Bergman’s production company, T-Street; Lin Qi, Chairman of the rights-holders – Yoozoo Group and The Three-Body Universe, and Zhao Jilong, Vice President of The Three-Body Universe, who are deeply committed to meaningfully building out the Three-Body franchise; Plan B Entertainment (Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner’s company) known for bringing to screen critically acclaimed and global projects with great reverence including Okja for Netflix and the Academy Award–winning Moonlight; as well as Rosamund Pike and Robie Uniacke whose company Primitive Streak specializes in prestige international literary property.
One of the best new series of the year, Apple TV’s hit series “Widow’s Bay”, is also now an Emmy nominee in multiple categories.
The 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be hosted by Mariska Hargitay and will air live on September 14 on NBC, streaming on Peacock, and nominations were announced this morning. Jeff Hiller, who plays government employee Dale in the series, was on hand to deliver the announcements.
“Widow’s Bay” has officially been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. Lead star Matthew Rhys has been nominated for an Emmy Award for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay”.
Dale Dickey and Kate O’Flynn have both earned noms for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Also earning a nomination is Stephen Root for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Betty Gilpin earns a nom for Comedy Guest Actress while Hamish Linklater lands a spot on the Comedy Guest Actor list.
But wait. There’s more.
The Emmy nominations for “Widow’s Bay” also include:
- Production Design for Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
- Casting for Comedy Series
- Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour)
- Directing for a Comedy Series – Hiro Murai
- Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series – Isaac Hagy
- Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series – Kyle Reiter
- Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series – Jen Bryson
- Music Composition for a Series
- Music Supervision
- Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
- Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
- Writing for a Comedy Series
That’s 19 total nominations. All of it well deserved.
Daniel Kurland wrote in his “Widow’s Bay” review for Bloody Disgusting, “Season One makes a perfect first impression, and its debut is strong enough that viewers will want to set up permanent residency there. There’s an excellent sense of storytelling, character development, and an engaging mystery that’s strengthened through pitch-perfect horror and comedy.
The series takes place in a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England and follows the town’s mayor as he attempts to revitalize the community despite a very pesky curse that unleashes horror of all varieties.
Season one is directed and executive produced by Emmy Award-winner Hiro Murai (“Barry“, “Atlanta”). Murai helms five of the 10-episode season, in addition to directors Ti West (The X Trilogy, “Them”), Sam Donovan (“Severance”), and Andrew DeYoung (Friendship).
The inaugural season wrapped last month and has already been renewed for season two.
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