Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’ will bring ‘Game of Thrones’ showrunners back to the Emmys
“Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss each won a whopping six Emmy Awards during the late-2010s: Best Drama Series in 2015, ’16, ’18 and ’19, and Best Drama Writing in 2015 and ’16. But they haven’t been invited back to the ceremony since that HBO fantasy series went off the air. Until now? The iconic duo is back in the running for even more Emmys thanks to their Netflix science-fiction drama “3 Body Problem,” which steamed all eight episodes on March 21, 2024.
Benioff and Weiss serve as co-creators and producers of the new show with Alexander Woo. It’s based on the Chinese novel “The Three-Body Problem” by Cixin Liu. Benioff, Weiss and Woo co-wrote the pilot together, titled “Countdown,” which takes place in both 1960s China and modern-day England, and begins the tale of astrophysicists trying to uncover why weird things are happening around them.
Cast members for the international production include Jovan Adepo as Saul Durand and Eiza Gonzalez as Augustina “Auggie” Salazar (both pictured above), two scientists who have a romantic history together. The main ensemble is rounded out by John Bradley as Jack Rooney, Rosalind Chao and Zine Tseng as Ye Wenjie, Liam Cunningham as Thomas Wade, Jess Hong as Jin Cheng, Marlo Kelly as Tatiana Haas, Alex Sharp as Will Downing, Sea Shimooka as Sophon, Saamer Usmani as Prithviraj “Raj” Varma, Benedict Wong as Clarence “Da” Shi and Jonathan Pryce as Mike Evans.
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Benioff and Weiss were revealed to be developing this program in September 2020. The duo reportedly plans on adapting all three books in the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” series, a concept they are more than familiar with since they were responsible for adapting the “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels into the “Game of Thrones” TV show in the 2010s. Filming for “3 Body Problem” took place in the United Kingdom beginning in November 2021.
TV critics are mostly positive about Season 1 of “3 Body Problem,” giving it a 78% score at Rotten Tomatoes. Allison Herman of Variety notes how Benioff and Weiss are “masters of adapting the unadaptable.” Louise Griffin of Radio Times raves, “It’s an absolute masterclass from Benioff, Weiss and Woo in the type of sci-fi we need right now – bold, unflinching, creative, imaginative and completely unique.” And Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com highlights its “crazy character twists and solid performances throughout.”
According to Gold Derby’s combined Emmy odds, “3 Body Problem” will receive a nomination for Best Drama Series. Its likeliest co-nominees at this early stage are “The Crown,” “The Morning Show,” “The Gilded Age,” “Slow Horses,” “Loki,” “The Curse” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” To take a page from “3 Body Problem’s” narrative: the Emmys “Countdown” has officially begun. Are you ready?
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