thanos-liu-cixin-le018a.jpg (Photo : www.gbtimes.com)
Liu Cixin's "Three-Body Problem" trilogy of science-fiction novels will be made into movies, according to a report from China.org with the author himself acting as executive producer.
The newly established Yoozoo Pictures, a company headed by online game entrepreneur Lin Qi and online novel writer Kong Xiangzhao, will be bankrolling the project at an estimated total cost of 1.2 billion yuan ($195.5 million) since each of the three films will reportedly need 200 million yuan ($32.58 million) to make.
Zhang Fanfan, a relatively new horror movie maker whose credits include having helmed "Lost in Panic Room" and "Lost in Panic Cruise," has been named to direct the "Three-Body Problem" films.
The "Three-Body Problem," so-called because of the three-body problem in physics and orbital mechanics that is explored in Liu's work of fiction, is comprised of the books "Three Body," "The Dark Forest" and "Death's End." The series was awarded the Galaxy Award, China's top honor for science fiction.
Yoozoo president Kong Xiangzhao told China.org that they "would start in-depth cooperation with certain Hollywood visual effects companies" and that there are already 50 screen writers participating in the film version creation project, adding that "some of them are professional screen writers, some of them are hardcore fans."
Aside from the film adaptations, Yoozoo Pictures said that the "Three-Body Problem" series will also be developed into an online TV series, a cartoon, an online game, a play and a line of merchandise.
China.org gathered that some of Liu's other science-fiction works will also be adapted into movies, including "The Wandering Earth," "Micro Era" and "The Era of Supernova," which will be produced by the China Film Group, the largest and most influential state-run film enterprise in China.
China Film Group already announced that "The Wandering Earth" will be given a budget of $50 million, "Micro Era" will have a budget of $40 million, while "The Era of Supernova" will be getting $60 million.
Liu's "The Rural Teacher" already has a director in the person of Ning Hao, whose latest film "Breakup Buddies" has already grossed 1.16 billion yuan since its Sept. 30 debut, making it one of China highest grossing movies ever.
