Netflix’s 3 Body Problem trailer teases a sci-fi epic, VR horror, and mystery thriller rolled into one

The official trailer for 3 Body Problem, Netflix’s new multi-genre show, has made its debut online – and it looks like it’ll be an epic, mind-boggling affair when it’s released in March.

Released on day two of CES 2024, the trailer provides our best look yet at the forthcoming Netflix series, which is based on Liu Cixin’s bestselling book The Three-Body Problem – the first novel in Cixin’s beloved trilogy Remembrance of Earth’s Past.

Frankly, the two-minute-long teaser doesn’t do justice to the sheer scope of the story Cixin’s literary works tell, either. Rather than wax lyrical about what’s shown in the latest footage, though, I’ll let you watch the trailer first, and provide more details below.

Here’s the first full 3 Body Problem trailer:

This isn’t the first 3 Body Problem footage we’ve seen. In June 2023, we reported that Game of Thrones‘ showrunners were trading bloody fantasy for mind-bending sci-fi with their first Netflix venture, which received its first teaser at Tudum 2023. In November, a first clip was shown off, too, and we’re sure it’ll have given you virtual reality (VR) nightmares.

But enough of blowing our own trumpet: what is 3 Body Problem actually about? It’s… complicated. You see, Cixin’s novels tell a dense, albeit rich, story that spans all of time, space, and human history, so condensing its plot down into a more manageable synopsis, without spoiling anything, is difficult to do.

Luckily for you, the boffins at the world’s best streaming service have provided a handy rundown of what to expect from 3 Body Problem‘s genre-bending narrative. Indeed, a quick glance at the story synopsis and/or footage confirms it’ll combine sci-fi spectacle, VR horror, detective drama, historical epic, and wuxia-based action into a single package.

“A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day,” the show’s logline reads. “When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history. 3 Body Problem is an epic story that redefines sci-fi drama with its layered mysteries and genre-bending high stakes.”

A Game of Thrones reunion – of sorts

As mentioned, Game of Thrones TV Show creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff have brought 3 Body Problem to life on the small screen – their first major production since their HBO high-fantasy series drew to a critically-panned close in 2019. 

The pair are joined by Alexander Woo (True Blood, The Terror: Infamy) as co-creators, writers, and executive producers on one of the 10 most exciting shows I picked out for early 2024. However, as with most TV or movie adaptations, there’s been some creative license taken with Cixin’s material, meaning some long-time fans might not be enthused with the potential deviations from the source material.

Speaking to Tudum.com, though, Woo is hopeful that diehard fans of Cixin’s works, as well as newcomers to the series, will find something to enjoy about Netflix’s adaptation. “What we are hoping to do is to convey the experience – if not necessarily the exact details – of the novel onto the screen,” Woo said. “What stayed, we hope, is the sense of wonderment and the sense of scope, of scale, where the problems are no longer just the problems of an individual or even a nation, but of an entire species.”

3 Body Problem is something of a Game of Thrones reunion, with Weiss and Benioff hiring Thrones alumni in John Bradley, Liam Cunningham, and Jonathan Pryce to play key roles in its first season. Joining that trio are other notable names, too, including Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Jovan Adepo (Babylon), Rosalind Chao (Star Trek), Eiza González (Godzilla vs Kong), Jess Hong (Grafted), Marlo Kelly (Dare Me), Alex Sarp (One Life), Ben Schnetzer (Y: The Last Man), and Saamer Usmani (Inventing Anna).

Will 3 Body Problem make its way onto our best Netflix shows once it’s released? We’ll know for sure once it launches on the streaming giant – but based on what I’ve seen so far, I’m firmly in the ‘yes’ camp.

3 Body Problem, which comprises eight episodes, will arrive exclusively on Netflix on March 21.

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