When sci-fi meets reality and AI takes center stage

Science behind spectacle

Making such stories convincing requires more than imaginative production design. Yang and visual director Lu Beike said their team grounds fantastical scenes in research into physics, materials science and the social conditions of the periods depicted.

One example is "Operation Guzheng," a fictional military mission to intercept messages linked to the alien threat. Because the sequence takes place at a specific time along the Panama Canal, the filmmakers considered the direction of sunlight when planning the shots.

"We even argued over this detail for days," Yang said. Lu pointed out that the canal runs northwest to southeast, meaning the description in the novel called for front lighting. Yang, however, wanted backlighting.

The disagreement illustrated a recurring tension in adapting science fiction: remaining faithful to the logic of the imagined world while making choices that serve the visual narrative. Yang said the same attention to detail would carry over to Da Shi, with scientific accuracy balanced against artistic expression.

Meanwhile, another figure from the trilogy's universe is moving into the spotlight. Sophon, the intelligent, proton-sized supercomputer created by the Trisolarans, lends its name to a new drama. With filmmaker Lu Yang as executive producer and Xin Yukun directing, Sophon will explore the fate of ordinary people amid a crisis threatening civilizations on Earth.

For Xin, working on the project has prompted reflection beyond the demands of filmmaking. Reading Liu's work, he said, can help readers step back from immediate worries and see their lives against a broader backdrop.

In addition, Three-Body: The Dark Forest, a new series adapted from the trilogy's second book, is expected to complete its preparation work by the end of this year, according to producer Bai Yicong. The project's costume and styling design is one-third complete, and the second round of concept art has been completed.

These may exemplify the trilogy's lasting appeal. Two decades after the story first reached readers, its alien civilization, scientific puzzles and visions of cosmic danger still invite creators and audiences to reconsider humanity's place in the universe, according to some industry observers attending the event.