All Images via Reddit

Netflix is diving into the cyperpunk age with Altered Carbon, a 10-episode series based on the bestselling novel by Richard K. Morgan. It’s said to be one of the most expensive Netflix shows ever—and if these first reported images are an indication of what’s in store, it’ll be money well spent.




Several gifs have been making the rounds on Reddit that, while not confirmed by Netflix (we’ve reached out for comment), do look like they’re for the upcoming television adaptation. The images show various businesses in Bay City circa 2384, matching the location and (approximate) date that the novel takes place. Even the Reddit poster raises suspicion; the account is less than two weeks old, has only posted Altered Carbon hints, and goes by the name Last Envoy—an apparent reference to the story’s main character, one of the last remaining ex-Envoy soldiers.

We’ve got the Skin Jobs Dive Bar, Smokes N Vapr shop, and a noodle joint that also shows someone being arrested. The images look promising, showing just the right amount of Blade Runner-esque grit while having a look and style that’s still distinctly their own.




Altered Carbon is about a future where one’s consciousness can be transferred from body to body, making immortality less of a pipe dream and more of a life choice. Society divides between people who can afford to live forever and those who cannot... essentially creating modern gods who keep themselves above and apart from everyone else. The story follows a soldier (played by Joel Kinnaman) who is “resleeved,” or transferred, into a police officer’s body in order to investigate a conspiracy. The series, written and produced by Avatar co-writer Laeta Kalogridis, is said to be Netflix’s most expensive genre show to date, at $6 to $7 million per episode. Altered Carbon comes out sometime in 2018.



[Reddit]

Clarification: The article originally stated that Altered Carbon was Netflix’s most-expensive show to date. That was actually 2016's The Get Down. The article has been updated.