The Expanse cast talks moving to Amazon, diversity in sci-fi

The crew of the Rocinante took to the stage at the 2019 Comic Con Experience in São Paulo, Brazil last weekend to promote The Expanse’s upcoming fourth season premiere on Amazon. As reported by Deadline, Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper (Naomi Nagata), Cas Anvar (Alex Kamal) and Frankie Adams (Roberta Draper) were stoked to meet and thank the fans, whose passion for the show was a big part of what got it picked up by Amazon last year after its untimely cancellation by SyFy. “You get to know that what you’re doing is important, is cared for by the people who are watching it,” said Tipper. “By it being canceled, it had a renewed purpose. We are grateful we get to make the show.”

Based on The Expanse book series by James S.A. Corey, the show follows James Holden (Strait), and his crew as they navigate a solar system rife with political conflict. At the end of season three, Holden unlocked an alien technology called the Ring Gate, granting the people of our solar system access to thousands of other systems with habitable planets. Season four dives straight back into the complex narratives that have made the series so popular, as the people of Earth, Mars and the Belt do what they do best: fight over stuff!

The object of their attention this time around is the planet of Ilus. Amazon’s synopsis for the fourth season breaks it down:

"The Expanse begins a new chapter for the series with the crew of the Rocinante on a mission from the U.N. to explore new worlds beyond the Ring Gate. Humanity has been given access to thousands of Earth-like planets, which has created a land rush and furthered tensions between the opposing nations of Earth, Mars and the Belt. Ilus is the first of these planets, one rich with natural resources, but also marked by the ruins of a long dead alien civilization. While Earthers, Martians, and Belters maneuver to colonize Ilus and use its natural resources, these early explorers don’t understand this new world and are unaware of the larger dangers that await them."

Combine that with the season 4 trailer below, and it becomes pretty clear that things are going to get hairy fast on Ilus:

It’s also clear from that trailer that the budget for the show has grown significantly; clearly, Amazon believes in its new sci-fi property, so much so that they’ve already renewed it for season 5.

In the past, the cast has teased how the move to Amazon’s Prime streaming service opened up new storytelling possibilities for them. At CCXP, they touched on how they have more storytelling freedom now that the show isn’t required to hit specified episode lengths. Oh, and that they can curse more. Our little belta lodas are all grown up!

But the shiny new budget and freedom to swear aren’t the only things the cast is grateful for. Both Tipper and Anvar offered their thoughts on how empowering diversity in science fiction can be, and how proud they are to be a part of a show that carries that torch. “You can’t dumb down representation,” said Tipper. “We are representing so many different people who rarely get represented. I am proud that The Expanse does that. I hope all of you see yourselves in the characters.”

LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 12: Dominique Tipper is seen as Marie Claire honors Hollywood’s Change Makers on March 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Marie Claire)

“To be able to be part of a show where we are showing millions of people out there that you can be a warrior and look like we do… that makes me proud,” said Anvar.

BERLIN, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 10: Cas Anvar poses at the “The Operative” (Die Agentin) photocall during the 69th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin at Grand Hyatt Hotel on February 10, 2019 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Brian Dowling/Getty Images)

The Expanse has always been a show that tackled diversity head on, but never felt like it was trying too hard, perhaps in part because diversity is a part of the story itself. There’s something recognizable about the conflict between Earth, Mars and the downtrodden people of the Belt, and thus far, the show has handled that dynamic deftly. One can only hope it will do the same when season 4 premieres on Amazon this Friday.

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