The Big Picture

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem is a highly anticipated new book-to-series adaptation from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. While promoting The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Liam Cunningham explained why he passed on another opportunity to reunite with Benioff and Weiss for this. 3 Body Problem is expected to premiere on Netflix in January 2024.

There are some mighty high expectations for Netflix’s 3 Body Problem for a number of reasons. It’s an adaptation of a hugely popular award-winning book, the first book of author Liu Cixin’s trilogy. On top of that, it’s an adaptation that’s led by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, a project that marks their first significant writing and showrunning gig post-Game of Thrones.

The book sees a top-secret military project sending signals out into space in an effort to make contact with aliens. Those signals don’t just vanish into the void; they’re received. Back on Earth, humanity is divided. There are those eager to welcome the visitors and allow them to take over the planet in hopes they can make it a better place, but then there are those who view the aliens’ arrival as an invasion.

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem will feature a stacked ensemble including Jovan Adepo, Eiza González, Benedict Wong, Jonathan Pryce, Alex Sharp, Jess Hong, and also two Game of Thrones alums, John Bradley and Liam Cunningham.

Image via Netflix

While celebrating the release of his new feature film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Cunningham took a moment to tease 3 Body Problem. Here’s what he said when asked why his Game of Thrones showrunners were the perfect pair to bring the Three-Body Problem to screen in the series format:

“Oh, listen, it’s always the quality of the writing, and these guys, it’s some of the best writing I’ve ever come across in my life. And this is also saying I spent a year and a half with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I’ve done Shakespeare on stage. These boys are absolutely extraordinary, the words they put in an actor’s mouth.”

In fact, Cunningham has so much faith in Benioff and Weiss that he passed on another acting opportunity without even knowing what the duo was pitching to him. He recalled:

“To tell you the truth, I haven’t told anybody else, I was in serious talks for another project and obviously the boys found out about it, and I got a phone call from David and Dan, they just said, ‘You’re not doing that. You’re coming with us.’ I didn’t even know what the project was, and I just said, ‘Yeah, okay. I’ll tell the other crowd no.’ It could have been a day’s work on the other thing, but when those two call, you run to the clarion call.”

3 Body Problem is set to debut on Netflix in January 2024. You can check out the teaser trailer for the series below: