Fact Check: Is Netflix's 3 Body Problem a limited series? 

The newest American science fiction television series on Netflix, 3 Body Problem, has generated polarizing reactions moments after its premiere at SXSW. Based on the eponymous Chinese novel by Liu Cixin, The Three-Body Problem, the live-action adaptation is set to expand its universe based on the existing novels, as confirmed by its creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo.

The creators, known for their work on Game of Thrones, have recently shared details on their plans for their series. With enough material existing to create subsequent seasons, they have confirmed that 3 Body Problem will not be a limited series and may run up to four seasons overall.

Recently, in a discussion with Collider, one of the show's creators, D.B. Weiss, said,

"For Season 2, we’ve got better than a rough idea."

Netflix's eight-part series 3 Body Problem was released on March 21, 2024.

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3 Body Problem's creators share insights on the show's future

The sci-fi release based on Liu Cixin’s best-selling novel has been touted as one of the most anticipated releases of 2024. In a recent interview, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss revealed their plans to extend the series, citing the abundance of material from the novels. The Three-Body Problem makes for the first book in Liu’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy.

During discussions with Collider, the Game of Thrones duo, along with Alexander Woo (True Blood), delved into their vision for the project. As the general audience latched on to the promise of another grand visual treat, the expectations from the project needed to be determined, lest it turn out how Game of Thrones did.

While the creators confirmed the future seasons being mapped out during a quick exchange at SXSW, Benioff stated that the arcs of seasons 1 and 2 of 3 Body Problem were to follow the first and second books, respectively. D.B. Weiss further commented,

"For Season 2, we’ve got better than a rough idea. We’re much farther along with that plan than rough idea stages. From there on out, it becomes, you know, the farther away things get, the hazier your view of them is."

He continues,

"But there, in the third book, there’s so many amazing landmarks, in terms of scenes and situations and events that we can see pretty clearly, that we know, we’re not completely sure how our characters are [going to] get to that place, but we know they gotta get to that place. Because that place, and that place, and that place are the reason we pick these books up and wanted to adapt them in the first place."

Having talked about the first two seasons, Benioff shared that the third season of 3 Body Problem may need a new approach to the adaptation. He says,

"The third book is massive. It’s twice as long, I think, as the other two books. So maybe that’s one season, maybe it’s two. But, you know, I think we’d need at least three, maybe four seasons to tell the whole story."

Collider's editor-in-chief Steve Weintraub asked the trio about how prompt the production will be if Netflix green lights the following seasons, to which Woo answered that they were already working on it, keeping fans on their toes for the news of renewal and a possible release date.