Netflix orders more episodes of 3 Body Problem

Netflix has renewed its blockbuster sci-fi drama 3 Body Problem for additional episodes.

The first season, starring John Bradley, Rosalind Chao, Liam Cunningham and Benedict Wong, followed a cast of characters from the 1960s to the present day as they prepared for an invasion of Earth by a warmongering alien race.

Show creators David Benioff, D. B. Weiss and Alexander Woo announced on Wednesday that more episodes were on their way.

"We're thrilled that we get to tell this story through to its epic conclusion," they said in a statement. "Ever since we read the last page of (author) Cixin Liu's magnificent trilogy, we hoped we'd be able to bring the audience to the end of the universe with us. Here we go!"

In the announcement, Netflix officials didn't refer to the extension as a season two or specify how many seasons or episodes fans can expect.

Game of Thrones showrunners Benioff and Weiss previously expressed hopes that the show would run for four seasons.

The lavish show is one of the most expensive original series that Netflix has made, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that season one alone cost $160 million (£126 million) to make.

The first season also stalled somewhat in terms of viewership, dropping off the Netflix Top 10 most-watched list after one week of release, sparking fears among fans that it would be cancelled after one season.

In spite of this, The Hollywood Reporter recorded staggering viewing figures for the show's early weeks of release - showing it dominated other offerings in the streaming market by recording 1.79 billion minutes viewed.