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3 Body Problem Wants 3 Seasons, But Is It Worth Its $20M per Episode Cost?

3 Body Problem Wants 3 Seasons, But Is It Worth Its $20M per Episode Cost?
Image credit: Netflix

Poor reviews didn’t stop LoTR, though.

Summary:

  • Netflix 's latest sci-fi release, 3 Body Problem, is blowing minds not only with its twisted plot, but also with its creators' ambitious plans.
  • Based on the idea of covering all 3 books of the original novel series, the showrunners believe the show is successful enough to be renewed.
  • The rumored budget of $20 million per episode and middling reviews, on the other hand, don't sound too promising.

After its premiere on March 21, 3 Body Problem has become the biggest attraction for all sci-fi fans. Considered one of the most difficult stories to tell on screen, Netflix's adaptation of Liu Cixin's novel of the same name turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the majority of viewers.

However, many are left wondering if it was good enough to get the green light for season 2? Or does the production cost not match the show's performance?

Will There Be 3 Body Problem Season 2?

Showrunners David Benioff, Dan Weiss and Alexander Woo believe that the show could be a huge success for the streamer if given the chance. Based on a trilogy of novels, the show will need to adapt all three books to be complete.

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Each of them brings its own challenges, but the creators believe that getting season 2 will be the key decision that will ensure the survival of the whole book series on the screen. That's what they discussed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, emphasizing that 3 Body Problem works much better as a complete story.

“It’s something we’ve talked about with the Netflix guys, too... The second book is far better than the first, and the third book just completely blew my mind. The story just gets more and more ambitious as it goes, and it takes a huge leap in book two. So I feel like if we survive to the second season, we’re going to be in a good place,” Benioff said.

What makes viewers unsure about the show's renewal is the fact that 3 Body Problem is far from being the universal success the team behind it dreams of. With a score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, the show is considered to be good and appreciated especially by the genre fans, but not really appealing to the wider audience.

3 Body Problem Wants 3 Seasons, But Is It Worth Its $20M per Episode Cost? - image 2

The high cost of producing the series also comes into play. With each episode allegedly costing around $20 million to make, 3 Body Problem is not a project that can be anything but great to bring Netflix that much more.

But then again, if you compare the budget and reception of the latest sci-fi hit to Prime Video 's Rings of Power, it could have strong potential.

What comes next for the Game of Thrones creators' show is now entirely up to Netflix executives. Until there is news about season 2, you can show your support for 3 Body Problem by streaming the first season on Netflix.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter