In this episode, the Rotten Mango podcast explores the complex backstory behind Netflix's upcoming series adaptation of the sci-fi novel "The Three-Body Problem." The summary delves into the novel's provocative themes, which contemplate humanity's vulnerabilities and the chaotic nature of the universe.
It also unravels the convoluted business dealings surrounding the intellectual property rights, detailing the tumultuous power dynamics at a gaming company that acquired the rights. The summary chronicles the company's failed attempts at adapting the novel for film and the eventual high-stakes Netflix deal - a saga marred by controversy over creative changes and ended in a shocking act of corporate sabotage.
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Liu Cixin's novel "The Three-Body Problem," initially an understated publication, explores humanity's vulnerabilities and the universe's complexities through intertwining themes of physics, betrayal, unpredictability, the search for extraterrestrial life, and our fragile achievements.
The novel's premise involves a string of scientist deaths implying the disintegration of physical laws. Liu's protagonist, Ye Wenjie, witnesses her father's murder during the Cultural Revolution, fueling her cynicism about humanity. Recruited to work at a top-secret facility, she discovers extraterrestrial life and, disillusioned, invites an alien civilization to Earth, symbolizing her belief that only external intervention can solve humanity's self-destructive impulses.
The novel posits a chilling "chain of suspicion" where civilizations might destroy one another merely to survive due to the absence of shared moral codes. It suggests humanity's romantic views of extraterrestrial beings are naive, as humans themselves cannot uphold noble morals.
An ambitious couple, a director and screenwriter, purchased the intellectual property (IP) rights to "The Three-Body Problem" from the financially struggling author in 2009, envisioning a movie franchise they would be heavily involved in creatively.
In 2016, billionaire Lin Chi collaborated with the couple to plan a six-film series. However, protracted negotiations led Lin's Yuzu Gaming to acquire the rights for $16 million. Lin aggressively invested $71 million to develop the franchise, fearing missing the sci-fi trend's peak.
The contrasting management styles of CEO Lin and lawyer-turned-executive Shu Yao sparked intense conflicts at Yuzu Gaming.
Lin's aggressive approach, involving public scolding and breaking objects, clashed with Shu's elitist, corporate professionalism. Their heated disagreements led employees to anticipate a "catastrophic event."
Lin sidelined Shu by appointing another executive, Zhao, to oversee the "Three-Body Problem" project. Feeling undervalued and humiliated, Shu plotted to poison Lin and Zhao with mercury, culminating in Zhao's hospitalization and revelation of Shu's criminal acts.
The couple's attempt to adapt "The Three-Body Problem" into a six-film series with a $25 million budget per movie proved disastrous.
Despite a crew of 50 screenwriters, they failed to produce quality footage. The adaptation deviated significantly from the novel and lacked support from investors and fans.
After a disastrous private screening, Lin bought out the rights from the couple to prevent their future involvement. He planned an extensive multimedia franchise costing $190 million for six films.
After outbidding rivals, Netflix secured an English adaptation with a massive $160 million budget for an eight-episode first season, involving "Game of Thrones" showrunners Benioff and Weiss.
The adaptation sparked debate over Netflix's strategy to "globalize" the story's Chinese roots, with only a third of the cast being of Asian descent.
Lin fell into a coma due to suspected poisoning by Shu using toxins, eventually succumbing. Shu was convicted for Lin's murder. Despite this tragedy, Netflix released the series posthumously crediting Lin. Yuzu aimed to expand the franchise further following the series' success.
1-Page Summary
"The Three-Body Problem," written by Liu Cixin, who sometimes goes by the pen name Elsie, has transformed from an understated publication into an international phenomenon exploring the vulnerabilities of humanity and the complexities of the universe.
Liu, at the time employed at a monotonous factory job, was struck with the premise of "The Three-Body Problem" under-stimulated, using his work computer to both conceive and write the novel. Published in 1999, the novel initially enjoyed modest sales but eventually exploded in popularity, lauded by prominent figures like Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg, and selling nine million copies globally.
The book weaves a dark narrative where a string of scientist deaths signifies a greater unraveling — the breakdown of physical laws. A note left by one of the victims starkly declares the nonexistence of physics, creating a profound disruption in the novel's universe.
Ye Wenjie, the narrative's central figure, witnesses the brutal murder of her father during the Cultural Revolution. Her family’s betrayal and imprisonment lead to her deep cynicism about humanity. Recruited to work at a top-secret installation, her discovery of extraterrestrial life, coupled with her disillusionment, culminates in her contacting and inviting an alien civilization to Earth — an attempt to catalyze a solution to humankind's own self-destructive impulses.
The "Three-Body Problem" in physics, representing a chaotic, unsolvable conundrum, mirrors Wenjie's perspective on humanity: chaotic, unpredictable, and irreparable. Wenjie becomes convinced that only external, extraterrestrial intervention can save humanity from its destructive ways. This acts as a metaphor for the frailty and unpredictability of human life and societal structures, echoing through the theme of the chaotic three-body problem. Wenjie's actions, driven by her profound disillusionment, invite the San-Ti to Earth.
The novel masterfully intertwines the concepts of betrayal, the unpredictability of existence, the search for extraterre ...
The "Three-Body Problem" novel and its themes
The intricate saga of acquiring and capitalizing on the intellectual property (IP) rights of "The Three-Body Problem" demonstrates the complexities of ambition, negotiation, and the drive to expand a single narrative into a vast, profitable multimedia franchise.
The journey of "The Three-Body Problem" from a financially struggling author to a potential multimedia empire begins in 2009. After being laid off from the factory, the author, known as Elsie, was approached by a couple interested in purchasing the intellectual property rights to his novel. The couple, a director and a screenwriter, were aware of Elsie's financial difficulties; he had been laid off and was making only about $100 a month from past work. Desperate for money, Elsie sold the rights rumored to be for approximately $15,000. The couple aggressively purchased not only the movie and TV rights for all three books in the trilogy but also the rights to future works and merchandising potential, including games and theme parks.
The couple, without extensive experience in the entertainment industry, began seeking investment to adapt the novel into a movie. They envisioned being heavily involved in the creative process, with the husband directing and the wife as the screenwriter. By 2016, the couple had collaborated with billionaire Lin Chi to launch a six-film series based on the trilogy.
Billionaire CEO Lin Chi leads Yuzu Gaming with a vision to build a multimedia franchise around "The Three-Body Problem." However, securing exclusive rights to the IP involved complex legal and corporate maneuverings. After protracted negotiations that saw the couple raising their demands from 27 million to nearly 30 million, Yuzu acquired the rights for $16 million, down from the couple's asked $30 million.
Simultaneously, Lin Chi worked aggressively to develop the franchise, investing $71 million into a failed film attempt and the IP rights. Frustrated with the pace of progress, particularly compared to "Wandering Earth," another successful series by the same author, Lin Chi felt the urgency to capitalize on the current sci-fi trend in China.
Beyond gaming, Lin Qi, the late CEO of Yuzu Gaming, had ambitious plans for the franchise. Lin's successor, Shu, becomes p ...
The Business and Legal Dealings Around the IP
The internal dynamics at Yuzu Gaming have become part of a dramatic saga featuring clashes between aggressive CEO Lin Chi and the more professional lawyer-turned-executive Shu Yao, leading to escalating tensions and a shocking criminal plot.
CEO Lin Chi and executive Shu Yao exhibit starkly different management styles, with Lin known for his aggressive and passionate approach, sometimes resorting to scolding employees publicly and even breaking things when frustrated. An anonymous employee described Lin as rough in management, contrasted with Shu Yao's elitist, academic demeanor, characterized by corporate professionalism and preference for tactful, corporately expressed disagreements.
The two displayed incompatible personalities and managing methods, with Lin favoring an extreme, all-or-nothing strategy, while Shu held onto corporate decorum and was seen as very by-the-book, rigid, and straight-edge. Shu, under increasing pressure from Lin's intense management style, broke down emotionally, which is uncharacteristic of his professional veneer. Conflicts between the two escalated to daily fights, with Lin vocal in his criticism of Shu for ineffectiveness, and Shu maintaining a calm demeanor during heated arguments.
Employees perceived the tensions between Lin and Shu as leading to a potential ‘big catastrophic event,’ as their daily workplace interactions became intense, leading to widespread recognition that they would struggle to work well together. Lin's temperamental and passionately aggressive behavior contrasted with Shu's calm response, suggesting unhealthy power dynamics and brewing internal struggle.
Adding to the unfolding drama, Lin Chi appointed a new executive, Zhao, to oversee the critical "Three-Body Problem" project, sidelining Shu Yao and signaling Lin’s displeasure with Shu's performa ...
The internal power dynamics and conflicts at Yuzu Gaming
An ambitious couple's attempt to adapt the popular novel "The Three-Body Problem" into a live-action movie series took a disastrous turn.
The couple envisioned a six-film series with each movie having an investment of around $25 million. Despite the novel's popularity, they insisted on a production role which limited interest from other parties— the husband was to direct, and the wife was to write the screenplay, both lacking the skills required for such a grand undertaking.
The ambitious couple underestimated the collaborative nature of filmmaking and failed to produce quality footage despite a staggering crew of 50 screenwriters, resulting in a disjointed movie. After a problematic production that included inadequate green screen footage and overwhelmed editors, a leading Hollywood special effects company refused to work with them. Subsequently, a domestic company hired for the effects went bankrupt.
The adaptation deviated significantly from the source material, with the script resembling poorly-done fanfiction rather than the original story. Despite feedback from the original author, his insights were ignored. Not even a novice like Shu Yao, put in charge despite no entertainment experience, could steer the movie in the right direction. The couple's project lacked support from investors to fans, the latter of whom actively campaigned against the movie on social media.
After the disastrous private screening likened to a "PowerPoint presentation," Lin, the CEO heavily invested in the film's success, was forced to confront the project's failure. Recognizing the immense financial loss ...
The failed movie adaptation and its aftermath
The exclusive deal secured with Netflix for an English adaptation of the "Three-Body Problem" has been a discussion point for fans and industry watchers alike, particularly due to its hefty budget, high-profile team, but was later overshadowed by the sudden illness and controversial death of CEO Lin.
After intense competition, Netflix won the rights for an English adaptation of the acclaimed "Three-Body Problem," surpassing rivals like Disney and Amazon. The acquisition became a hot topic, with Netflix agreeing to pay Yuzu approximately $16 million for the adaptation rights. This series was allocated a massive budget, $20 million per episode for an eight-episode first season, totaling $160 million in production costs. In comparison, Netflix spent about $2.5 million per episode on "Squid Game," around $10 million per episode on "The Witcher" and "The Crown," while the budget for "Three-Body Problem" surpassed even "One Piece" at $18 million per episode. Only "Stranger Things" had a higher budget than "Three-Body Problem."
A stellar team has been attached to the project, including "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss – whose "Game of Thrones" series had escalated to $15 million per episode – now leading the production of the "Three-This Body Problem," which is set to be even more expensive. The production underscores the high stakes involved as Netflix aimed to globalize the story and make it inclusive to Western audiences. However, there was controversy over the adaptation’s decisions such as the casting choices which did not fully reflect the series' Chinese origins.
The adaptation sparked debate over Netflix’s strategy to "globalize" the narrative of an alien invasion story rooted in Chinese culture. The showonly included a third of the cast of Asian descent, causing disappointment among Chinese netizens. Moreover, concerns revolved around the potential cultural inaccuracies and the decision to place the adaptation under the direction of the "Game of Thrones" showrunners, following the mixed reception of its final season.
The successful Netflix deal soon became overshadowed by tragedy as CEO Lin fell critically ill, suspected of being poisoned. Lin, who was in line to be an executive producer on the Netflix series, landed in a coma due to mercury poisoning and despite the doctors’ efforts, including complete blood transfusions, he succumbed to the condition. Lin’s death was sudden and unexpected, raising suspicions and leadin ...
The successful Netflix deal and its aftermath
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