(Credits: Netflix)

Things are looking good for Netflix users awaiting the second season of the hit sci-fi series 3 Body Problem.

According to reports, Netflix has revealed that the expenditure on the production shot up 3.1% to nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in 2024 before the streamer had cameras rolling for the second instalment. For those unaware, Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and DB Weiss had adapted The 3 Body Problem for Netflix.

3 Body Problem follows the mortal world as it prepares to prevent an alien invasion. The Netflix series was set to compete with Amazon Prime’s The Rings of Power and HBO’s Game of Thrones. In fact, the show had several Game of Thrones actors, including Liam Cunningham and John Bradley. But it turns out there’s more to them than these.

In a recent Daily Mail report, it was revealed that The Rings of Power cost over $800million during its attempt at streaming supremacy. While the production of 3 Body Problem wasn’t on par with that amount, it wasn’t cheap either. The expenditure on US-based streaming productions traditionally remains shrouded in mystery. What the studios do is compile the entire production cost instead of documenting the expense for each. However, the UK doesn’t handle production expenditure similarly.

The first season of 3 Body Problem took place in the United Kingdom, primarily filmed at Shepperton Studios, which revealed the amount spent to make the Netflix show. The reason behind this transparency is largely due to the country’s policy, which requires UK production companies to file publicly available financial statements that document everything from headcount and salaries to the total expenditure.

This is more of a give-and-take policy, as UK production companies have the privilege to take advantage of the government’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC), allowing them a reimbursement of 25.5% of the expenditure spent in the nation, with the condition that 10% of the core cost is incurred there itself. Subsequently, when it comes to demonstration, studios organise separate companies for the production of each project in the UK, where they must file legally-binding financial statements.

Haggle Pictures, the Netflix subsidiary backing 3 Body Problem, submitted its filings the day before yesterday. It’s important to note that the financial statements are rolled out in phases over a prolonged period, starting with pre-production and continuing to post-production. Their latest filing covers a year up to December 31st, 2024, revealing that the expense has risen by $7.3million to $245.7m.

In July, Netflix confirmed that the next season of 3 Body Problem is well on its way. The production kick-started in Hungary that month, following the greenlight for two more seasons in May. While fans were already over the moon with the news, the cheers could skyrocket now that the filings have been released.

According to the trade title Screen Global Production, both upcoming seasons will be filmed continuously in Hungary, since it allows a reimbursement of 30% of which 25% can be non-Hungarian. The Hungarian National Film Office filings reported a combined budget for both seasons at $267million with $80million in indirect subsidy.

Although it remains foggy whether Haggle Pictures’ filings are related to the first season’s expense or the pre-production cost of the second, either way, it’s good news. In the case of the former, it shows that Netflix is completing the unfinished business for a head start with the second season. If it relates to the latter, it means Netflix already had the ball rolling for 3 Body Problem’s second season last year.

Despite the show being shot in Hungary, the production company will be based in the UK because only 10% of the expenditure needs to be incurred there to be eligible for the reimbursement. Additionally, the reimbursement is calculated on the basis of just 80% of the core expense to ensure a maximum of 25.5% of the cost is spent in the UK. Hence, UK production companies must make a point to dish out 20% of their core expense in another country.

According to the filings, Haggle Pictures has received a $60million reimbursement on the expenditure, reducing the net spending on the show to $185.7m. Although it wasn’t cheap, Netflix was satisfied, having been the most-watched show in its first full week of release, which amassed 15.6million views.

Screen Global Production revealed that the Hungarian shoot will finish in August 2027. And if 3 Body Problem’s second season follows in the footsteps of the debut instalment, it might not premiere until 2029, considering the 20-month gap between the production wrap and the release. But now that the frenzy is clearly eclipsing with a hefty amount of money caving in, Netflix surely won’t risk the momentum with a slowdown. The showrunners previously promised season two to go “much bigger.” And looks like the wait could be worth it.