Zhang Yimou Reveals ‘Three-Body Problem’ Film Update at Busan Opening

# Three-Body Problem Movie Update

Zhang Yimou gave a surprise update on his long-gestating film adaptation of Liu Cixin's *The Three-Body Problem* on Tuesday at the Busan International Film Festival's opening ceremony, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

The celebrated Chinese auteur, who is serving as president of Busan's main competition jury this year, said he has spent years polishing the screenplay for the project. He even enlisted his team to collect some 400,000 online fan comments to help shape his approach.

"The Three-Body Problem is a great work of science fiction, but it's hard to photograph, so we spent several years polishing the script. Hopefully this film will live up to everyone's expectations and satisfy the audience," Zhang said from the stage of the Busan Cinema Center.

# A Separate Take on the Novel

Zhang's plans to direct a fresh adaptation of China's most celebrated work of sci-fi were first announced at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2024, but little had been revealed about the project in the years since, The Hollywood Reporter notes.

His undertaking is completely separate from Netflix's high-profile English-language series *3 Body Problem*, created by *Game of Thrones* duo David Benioff and D.B. Weiss alongside Alexander Woo, which debuted on Netflix in March 2024. The film from Zhang, his country’s most esteemed auteur, will give the material a new homegrown Chinese cinematic treatment.

# Fan Comments and Audience Hopes

"When I first found out I was going to direct Three Body, I had the company collect a large amount of data — approximately 400,000 online comments from fans about their hopes for the film. I know everyone has a lot of worries. I will sincerely study the hopes and demands of the audience and hopefully make a good movie," Zhang added.

# Honors and Opening Night

The outdoor ceremony, held at the Busan Cinema Center on a clear, crisp autumn evening, was hosted by Korean actress Kim Min-ha, best known internationally for *Pachinko* and also starring in Busan’s opening film, *The Table: Day and Night*.

Michelle Yeoh received Busan’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, her first time at the festival in 15 years. She paid a personal tribute to Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui, the night’s recipient of Busan’s Camellia Award, an honor established by the festival in partnership with Chanel to recognize contributions in advancing the standing of women in the film industry.

"No one does this alone," Yeoh said, emphasizing the collaborators behind her career.

Hui, whose classics include *Boat People* and *A Simple Life*, was characteristically candid in her acceptance remarks.

"Before, I felt unwilling to receive career honors, because I wanted to continue making films," Hui said. "But now that I’m nearly 80, I find filmmaking very difficult, so the prize comes just in time for me to appreciate it."

# Looking Ahead

The opening ceremony was followed by the world premiere of Kim Jong-kwan’s *The Table: Day and Night*, an ensemble romance built around four pairs of people and their encounters at a single Seoul café.

Looking ahead to his jury duties, Zhang praised the recent creative example set by his Korean counterparts.

"Korean cinema has been truly remarkable in recent years. This has attracted attention in Asia and around the world. There are many things we can learn from this," Zhang added. "Asian cinema should have this stage and not just be confined to Asia — it should have a wide-ranging global impact."

The 31st Busan International Film Festival runs through Oct. 15, with the Asian Contents & Film Market taking place Oct. 10-13.