'Three-Body Problem' film adaptation at script-polishing stage

The film adaptation of Liu Cixin's science fiction trilogy "The Three-Body Problem" is currently in the script polishing stage, Beijing Enlight Media chairman Wang Changtian revealed at a recent forum of the Shanghai International Film Festival.

The team is also selecting key creative personnel beyond the director and screenwriter with a worldwide search underway.

"Adapting this work poses significant challenges, the biggest being what to include and what to omit from the original," Wang said.

"We are committed to respecting the original work, but it is impossible to include everything in a single film. Deciding what to omit becomes especially sensitive, particularly for fans of Three Body."

Wang anticipated that no matter what choices are made, some fans will be dissatisfied.

"We are prepared to face some criticism in the future, as this is unavoidable. This is a common issue for all adaptations of original works, especially when it comes to film adaptations."

Meanwhile, Zhao Jilong, chief executive of the Three-Body Universe Cultural Development Co, said the company aims to integrate the best creative resources into its team, hence the global talent search.

"With respect for the original work and the director, we take this opportunity to call upon creators worldwide who understand visual effects and the film industry to join us in crafting a Three-Body Problem film that truly belongs to China," said Zhao

According to Zhao, since its inception 17 years ago, the Three-Body Problem IP has become a global phenomenon.

Official sales of the novel have exceeded 30 million copies, but if considering unofficial versions and e-books, the numbers are likely to be much higher.

"'The Three-Body Problem' has been translated into 35 languages, with Arabic being the latest addition, bringing the novel to the Islamic cultural market," Zhao said.

"It has also reached countries such as Norway, Lithuania, and Croatia. With its multilingual publications and global distribution of film content, 'The Three-Body Problem' has garnered significant acclaim, winning prestigious sci-fi awards in countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, and Spain."

Domestically, after 17 years of development, the novel has amassed over 260 million general fans in China, including those who have read the novel, watched related content, or consumed derivative products.

Ti Gong