‘3 Body Problem’ Season 2: Everything Fans Need to Know

Following the success of 3 Body Problem on Netflix, a second season is in active development.

Based on Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past book trilogy, the show’s first season was among the most-watched on the platform. In fact, 3 Body Problem was in the Netflix Top 10 for three weeks after its premiere in March. .

So, it doesn’t seem surprising that the show was renewed. Even though it’s in active development, here’s what we know so far about 3 Body Problem Season 2.

Possible spoilers ahead for Season 1.

3 Body Problem Returns for Season 2

It was good news for the show’s fans as Netflix has promised to greenlight more episodes for 3 Body Problem. The streaming platform’s initial announcement raised some confusion among fans as to what they meant by “new” episodes.

“The extraordinary 3 Body Problem, brought to life with the deft hands of Benioff, Weiss, and Woo will soar to never-before-seen heights as they tackle the rest of the mind-blowing journey through Death’s End,” said Netflix’s Peter Friedlander. “Their brilliant vision as storytellers is matched by their amazing partnership – and just like the fans, we can’t wait to see what they have in store.”

3 Body Problem showrunners David Benioff, Dan Weiss, and Alexander Woo didn’t reveal how many episodes the show would get in their new deal, but they stressed that it was for “seasons.” The number of hours would also align with their original plan to adapt the two remaining novels.

“We knew going into this how many hours we need to tell the rest of the story because we’ve got a roadmap through to the end,” Weiss told The Hollywood Reporter. “And we have what we need to get to the end as intended from when we started.”

“By the time we finish with the show, it will be seven years we’ve devoted to it,” said Benioff. “We’re now at a place where we get to tell the rest of the story, and yes, we have enough time to tell the rest of the story the way we want to and that’s immensely gratifying.”

Benioff, Weiss, and Woo have already begun work on 3 Body Problem Season 2, after taking four years to write Season 1. They have said that they plan on working on the remaining episodes for the next three years.

3 Body Problem Cast

3 Body Problem has a strong ensemble cast of Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Rosalind Chao, Liam Cunningham, Eiza Gonzalez, Jess Hong, Marlo Kelly, Alex Sharp, Sea Shimooka, Zine Tseng, Saamer Usmani, Benedict Wong, and Jonathan Pryce. Adepo plays Saul Durand, Hong plays Jin Cheng, Usmani as Raj Varma, Tseng and Chao as Ye Wenjie, Shimooka as Sophon, Gonzalez as Auggie Salazar, Wong as Da Shi, Cunningham as Thomas Wade, and Kelly as Tatiana.

“Dan and David said, ‘It’s a character that’s as close to you as you’ll ever play,’” Bradley told The Hollywood Reporter. “And it’s interesting when somebody says they’ve written a part that they think is you because it’s like: ‘What do you think I’m like?’ I just think they were sick of people saying how nice I am all the time.”

Wong also echoed the showrunners’ comments to Bradley about his own character. The actor shared that the showrunners gave him his character’s biography and realizing the similarities.

“I’m like, ‘Hang on, this is like me. Did they sniff around my Wikipedia?’” said Wong. “For the best part of eight years, the business didn’t know how to properly represent me. I feel I’m unveiling myself.”

It remains to be seen whether the cast will change in the coming season. But it’s safe to say that most of the main cast are likely returning for 3 Body Problem Season 2.

Plot

If you’re not familiar with the series, 3 Body Problem follows a woman’s decision to contact extraterrestrial life in 1960s China. The aftermath of that decision is still felt in the present day, where the story focuses on a group of scientists called the Oxford Five. This group realizes the impending arrival of aliens known as San-Ti.

Season one saw the group faced with the task to come up with an alternative plan amidst an impending invasion. The Staircase Project failed, leaving humans with no plan to prevent the incoming invasion four centuries away. The project launch was supposed to intercept the San-Ti’s fleet to learn more about their technology and society. However, it only led to Will’s brain being lost in space.

TV Guide pressed Cunningham about what the character whispered to Jin in mission control. The actor revealed that “he sees what happened to that particular plan as a blip.”

“That battle may have been lost, but the war continues. So it may have had some reference to that,” said Cunningham.

At the same time, Sophon, who acted as the spokesperson for the San-Ti, appeared to Wade on his plane. Sophone told Wade that they were being watched and that he had a place with the San-Ti when they arrived.

“She appears on his personal mode of transport and imparts this knowledge to him that maybe he’s of use – which is an interesting thing that I’m sure he wasn’t expecting,” said Cunningham.

What to Expect in Season 2

For 3 Body Problem Season 2, it will adapt more of Liu’s second book, “The Dark Forest.” This is because some storylines in season one were already taken from the second book.

In the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Benioff revealed that 3 Body Problem Season 2 will be better than the first. 

“Liu Cixin’s created this indelible trilogy and the books just get better for me. 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.

Weiss also discussed working on Season 2 in an interview with Collider released in March 2024.

“For Season 2, we’ve got a 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. 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 gonna 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,” said Weiss.

3 Body Problem Season 2 Release Date Speculation

There’s no official release date yet for 3 Body Problem Season 2. However, production for the upcoming season will be in the UK under the working title, “Straight Shooter.”

As for a third season, Benioff told Collider it will be based on the third book, “Death’s End.” Due to the narrative of the third book, it may be split into two seasons.

“The third book is massive. It’s twice as long. I think, as the other two books,” said Benioff. “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.”

For now, fans can rewatch the entire first season on Netflix.