The showrunners confidently assert that they are committed to delivering enough seasons to bring their sci-fi masterpiece to a satisfying conclusion. One of the lingering mysteries surrounding the conclusion of "3 Body Problem" has been the precise meaning behind Netflix's renewal announcement.
During the streamer's recent upfront presentation, Netflix promised "additional episodes" of the critically acclaimed sci-fi drama to "finish the story." However, the vagueness of this statement left many fans anxiously wondering if the promised content would be a mere handful of episodes or a substantial multi-season arc.
Now, showrunners David Benioff, Dan Weiss, and Alexander Woo offer reassuring words. While they remain tight-lipped about the exact number of episodes in their new deal, they emphasize that it's for "seasons" - plural - and that the number of hours aligns with their original plan to adapt the remaining two novels in author Liu Cixin's Hugo-winning trilogy.
"We knew going into this how many hours we need to tell the rest of the story because we've got a roadmap through to the end," Weiss revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. "And we have what we need to get to the end as intended from when we started."
Benioff added, "By the time we finish with the show, it will be seven years we've devoted to it. We're now at a place where we get to tell the rest of the story, and, yes, we have enough time to tell the rest of the story the way we want to, and that's immensely gratifying."
The showrunners are currently busy penning the scripts for the next season of "3 Body Problem." After spending four years painstakingly crafting the first season, they note that they plan to devote the next three years to completing the remaining episodes. This timeline suggests that they may end up producing two more seasons filmed consecutively, but this remains speculation at this point.
The first eight-episode season of "3 Body Problem" captivated audiences and topped Netflix's TV chart for three weeks, spending seven weeks in the streamer's global Top 10. The show received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, with Rotten Tomatoes scores gradually rising to 80% for critics and 78% for the audience.
Benioff previously teased in a cover story with The Hollywood Reporter that the second season of "3 Body Problem" would surpass the first in quality. "Liu Cixin's created this indelible trilogy, and the books just get better for me," he said. "The second book is far better than the first, and the third book completely blew my mind. The story becomes more ambitious as it progresses, taking a huge leap in the second book. So I feel like if we survive to the second season, we're going to be in a good place."
