However controversial that ending proved to be, it’s an inescapable fact: for the vast majority of its run, Game Of Thrones was an astonishing adaptation of George RR Martin’s books. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss brought the world of Westeros to the screen in incredible detail and with thrilling intent, turning its unwieldy world into a general cultural behemoth. That’s no mean feat. And for their follow-up, they’re not taking a step back. The duo’s new project as show runners is 3 Body Problem, a Netflix series adaptation of Liu Cixin’s sprawling and mind-bending sci-fi trilogy Remembrance Of Earth’s Past, spanning time, space, and extraterrestrial beings. And just like with A Song Of Ice And Fire, the pair know they’re working with dynamite material.
If it gets to run to its conclusion, 3 Body Problem is set to deliver a killer conclusion, Benioff and Weiss promise. “Honestly, the ending of the third book is one of my favourite endings of any giant saga of all time, so we want to get there,” Benioff tells Empire. “The hardest thing is always the first season. Can we justify the big investment from Netflix? I feel like this will grow as it grows. I’m hopeful.” Remember: the last time they brought a stunning end-of-book-three moment to the screen, we got Game Of Thrones’ Red Wedding.
Taking on another series of this scale was the only place the duo wanted to be. “The feeling that it may be too much was familiar for us,” says Weiss. “It was what we felt with Thrones, in conjunction with a tremendous amount of excitement over the possibilities of where it could go if we could get it off the ground. It was the terror of the magnitude of what was in front of us. If you’re not afraid, you’re doing something wrong.” According to Alexander Woo – co-creator alongside Benioff and Weiss – the show will be heading to wild places. “Everything you saw in the trailer, it’ll all make sense in a way you would never have expected,” he teases.
The epic cast – including returning Thrones alumni Liam Cunningham and John Bradley, as well as the likes of Benedict Wong, Jess Hong, Joan Adepo and Eiza González – had to get their heads around the imposing source material. But by all accounts, the effort was more than worth it. “The book can be quite a dense read, but once you’re locked in, you’re on a massive journey,” Wong tells Empire. “I think people are willing to buckle up and go on the ride. You look at these trailers and it’s beyond ridiculous, a big old, ‘What the actual fuck is going on? But I really want to see this.’ It’s like, when I watch a Christopher Nolan film, I sit up and take notes. We’re not here to spoon-feed you. Work for your dinner.” A fresh – and vast – sci-fi banquet is about to unfold.
Read Empire’s full 3 Body Problem feature in the Star Wars prequels 25th anniversary issue – on sale Thursday 15 February. 3 Body Problem comes to Netflix on 21 March.