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What book is Snowpiercer based on and what are the main differences between the Netflix series and the novel?

Snowpiercer dropped on Netflix on May 25.

The sci-fi series is based on a book, but how closely will the series stick to its inspiration?

The first trailer for Netflix’s Snowpiercer has teased a bloody uprising in a frozen apocalypse
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The first trailer for Netflix’s Snowpiercer has teased a bloody uprising in a frozen apocalypseCredit: netflix

The series has 10 episodes ready to stream on Netflix and stars Jennifer Connelly.

What book is Netflix's Snowpiercer based on?

Le Transperceneige, translating as The Snowpiercer, is a French graphic novel by Jacques Lob.

It was first published in 1982 and there are four volumes in the series: The Escape, The Explorers, The Crossing, and Terminus.

The final volume was published in 2015 - the series has spanned decades.

The stories are set in an imagined world where natural disasters have caused an ice age, while all of humanity are on board a 1,001 carriage train called the Snowpiercer that constantly drives around the world.

At the end of the series a patch of growing flowers is seen and there is hope for life again.

Jennifer Connelly plays the Voice of the Train
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Jennifer Connelly plays the Voice of the TrainCredit: TM & © Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A WarnerMedia Company. All Rights Reserved

The book also had a film adaption in 2013.

What are the differences between the book and the Netflix series?

Creating this series had its problems - a writer and director quit, plus there were issues been Bong Joon-ho and Harvey Winestein, over major rewrites of the script that caused clashes.

There will be new characters in the Netflix series and already they've confirmed there will be a second series to come.

Compared to the film, the pace is said to be less ferocious.

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Whereas compared with the book, like the film there isn't one main character of focus - instead we get insight to people across the whole train, though we do get hero characters.

The graphic novel is said to be more horrifying in some ways as it deals with issues like cannibalism that either don't feature in the series, or are included but significantly cut down.

The novel also gives more of a backstory as to what happened to cause the Snowpiercer to exist - the series is more focused on life on the train.

The book may be gorier and bleaker, but the series is ready to binge on Netflix from May 25.

Watch the official trailer for Snowpiercer starring Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Conelly
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