Book to Screen: How '3 Body Problem' Showrunners Adapted an Unadaptable Book

In TheWrap's new video series, the creators unpack the challenges of turning an epic sci-fi trilogy into a TV show ['3 Body Problem' Showrunners Break Down Their Process for Adapting the Unadaptable | Book to Screen]( [3-body-problem-book-to-screen]( The Netflix sci-fi series [“3 Body Problem”]( presented a number of challenges for its creators, but one of the biggest – and simplest – was merely adapting the complicated books at the root of its source material. Author Liu Cixin’s series of books were a smash hit when they were released between 2006 and 2010, winning awards and earning a spot on President Obama’s coveted reading list, but the trilogy is a dense tome that was very much written to be read, not made in real life. “There were many things in the original novels that we were excited to adapt, there were many things in the original novels that we were terrified of adapting, and usually those two were the exact same things,” co-creator and co-showrunner D.B. Weiss explained during TheWrap’s inaugural Book to Screen video series, presented by Netflix. To put the basic plot in simple terms, the story follows a group of scientists and individuals who discover that an alien race is coming to Earth to take over the planet, but they won’t arrive for 450 years. Humanity must then band together to prepare for a war that most of them will never actually see. Creators Weiss, Benioff and Alexander Woo are no strangers to tough adaptations — Weiss and Benioff steered “Game of Thrones” through the entirety of that show’s run and Woo worked on “True Blood” — and Woo said a major lesson they had all learned previously that they applied to this adaptation was a focus on character. “We had a steep learning curve, despite the fact that we had adapted novels in the past,” Woo said. “I think the one thing we brought to it that we all have in common is a focus on character, so that when all the crazy stuff starts happening down the road, it’s happening to people you care about.” [Read more and watch the exclusive video here.]( [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [WrapPRO logo] Discover why entertainment executives and professionals rely on the WrapPRO platform daily for exclusive coverage, analysis, deeper reporting, and access to VIP events & screenings throughout the year. [Subscribe Today]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( TheWrap | 2034 Armacost Ave Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [LiveIntent Logo]( [AdChoices Logo](