Space is big and more extensive than the human mind can comprehend. Light moves at 186,000 miles per second. Given the size of the universe and the vast distance between the Earth and the nearest star system, even moving at the speed of light, it would take five years to arrive. Though the odds of extraterrestrial intelligent life visiting the Earth with any regularity are impossibly high, what if it were possible? What would that look like? That is the dramatic question of 3 Body Problem. Based on the Liu Cixin novel of the same name, the Netflix series is being created by True Blood's Alexander Woo and Game of Thrones masterminds David Benioff & D.B. Weiss.

Benioff and Weiss praised the original novel: "The most ambitious science-fiction series we’ve read.” Are the extraterrestrials coming in peace? Are they coming to help humanity in a way humans are unprepared to accept? Are they so alien that communication will be impossible? Here’s everything we know about 3 Body Problem.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on March 10, 2024.

When and Where Does '3 Body Problem' Come Out?

3 Body Problem will stream exclusively on Netflix on March 21, 2024.

Watch on Netflix

Does '3 Body Problem' Have a Trailer?

The full trailer for 3 Body Problem was released on January 9, 2024. Clocking in at just over two and a half minutes, the trailer offers a better look at what the series is about. For those familiar with the source material, the trailer foreshadows many events to come.

The final trailer for 3 Body Problem was released by Netflix on March 7, 2024.

What Is '3 Body Problem' About?

Very simply and without giving away too many spoilers, 3 Body Problem is about humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. However, describing it thusly fails to fully convey the full scope of the story, one that sweeps the entirety of the human race into smoky room government conspiracies, hidden world wars, underground science organizations, and mind-boggling scientific mysteries that border on the supernatural.

Starting with astrophysicist Ye Wenjie in the Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 60s and going all the way to the present day with nanomaterials engineer Wang Miao, the story takes a hyper-real, hard science approach to answer the question, “What would it look like for humans to make contact with an alien species,” and “just how alien is ‘alien?’”

The original plot synopsis for the novel is below. It's not too spoiler-y, though it does take a bit of the mystery out of the novel, so read at your own risk.

Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.

3 Body Problem will reportedly have 24 episodes, with each being roughly 60 minutes in length. There have also been hints at potential spin-offs for the series. With it spanning across different time periods, it makes sense that Netflix is already interested in expanding series with possible spin-offs.

Who Stars in '3 Body Problem'?

The story of 3 Body Problem spans two periods- the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 60s and the present day. Starring the series are Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), John Bradley (Game of Thrones), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Tsai Chin (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Alex Sharp (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Saamer Usmani (Inventing Anna), Jovan Adepo (Fences), Sea Shimooka (Arrow), Rosalind Chao (Mulan), Ben Schnetzer (Warcraft), Jason Forbes (Borg/McEnroe), Stacy Abalogun (Death on the Nile), Jess Hong (Brokenwood Mysteries), Marlo Kelly (Dare Me), and newcomers Zine Tseng and Eve Lindley. The first thing to know about this cast is that it’s relatively large.

It’s currently unknown who in the cast plays which characters. From the brief glimpses shown to audiences in the Tudum event, the only character that can be identified is Ye Wenjie, played by Zine Tseng, whose primary story is in the 60s. Complicating matters, in the book, a large majority of the characters were all Chinese; however, the Netflix adaptation appears to have changed the races of many characters.

Who is Making '3 Body Problem'?

Say what one might about the final season of Game of Thrones, but no one can say that they didn’t create one of the biggest, most ambitious shows in television history, full of memorably dramatic moments. The three big names behind the production of this series are David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo. In an official press release, Benioff talked about the upcoming project:

“Liu Cixin’s trilogy is the most ambitious science-fiction series we’ve read, taking readers on a journey from the 1960s until the end of time, from life on our pale blue dot to the distant fringes of the universe. We look forward to spending the next years of our lives bringing this to life for audiences around the world.”

Woo added,

"It’s a privilege to be adapting one of the great masterpieces of Chinese science-fiction. The Three-Body Problem trilogy combines so many things I love: rich, multi-layered characters and true existential stakes – all told as

an elegant and deeply human allegory. I’m thrilled to kick off my partnership with Netflix with this accomplished creative team.”

Executive Producer Rian Johnson and his producing partner Ram Bergman round out the production team. The original author, Liu Cixin, and the book’s English translator, Ken Liu, are signed on as Consulting Producers.

Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment and Rosamund Pike’s Primitive Streak are also signed on as involved with the production. Plan B has a previous relationship with producing for Netflix, having made Okja and Primitive Streak “specializes in prestige international literary property.”