3%

3% (, pronounced [ˈtɾe(j)s puʁ ˈsẽtu]) is a Brazilian dystopian thriller television series created by Pedro Aguilera, starring João Miguel and Bianca Comparato. Developed from a 2009 independent pilot episode, it is the first Portuguese-language Netflix original series and the second non-English production, after the Spanish-language series Club de Cuervos.
The series is set in an unspecified future where 20-year-old individuals of the impoverished "Inland" have the single opportunity to complete "The Process" and advance to the affluence of the distant "Offshore" society. While most of the unsuccessful candidates are simply eliminated, some fail to survive, leading to only 3% of the candidates succeeding.
The first season, consisting of eight episodes, became available on Netflix worldwide on 25 November 2016. In December 2016, Netflix renewed the series for a second season, which was released on 27 April 2018, consisting of 10 episodes. In June 2018, the series was renewed for a third season, consisting of eight episodes, which was released on 7 June 2019. In August 2019, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a fourth and final season, which was released on 14 August 2020 and consists of seven episodes.
Creator and writer Pedro Aguilera developed 3% from a 2009 independent pilot episode. Netflix gave the series an 8-episode order for the first season. It is the first Portuguese-language Netflix original series and the second non-English production, after the Spanish-language series Club de Cuervos.
Academy Award-nominated cinematographer César Charlone, known for City of God and Blindness, served as director alongside Daina Giannecchini, Dani Libardi, and Jotagá Crema. Charlone also serves as an executive producer, alongside Tiago Mello. The first season became available on Netflix worldwide on November 25, 2016. In December 2016, Netflix renewed the series for a second season, which was released on April 27, 2018. On June 4, 2018, the series was renewed for a third season, which was released on June 7, 2019.
On March 11, 2016, Netflix announced the filming of the series in São Paulo. The principal photography for the first season began with the primary location at the interior of the Arena Corinthians, chosen for its luxurious and futuristic design and used as "The Process" building. A scenographic favela was built in a large abandoned factory in the neighborhood of Brás, central Region of São Paulo (representing the "Inland") and with some other scenes shot at the outskirts of the city, such as in the neighborhoods Heliópolis, Vila Madalena, Parque da Juventude and Ocupação Cine Marrocos.
Exterior scenes for the second season's "Offshore" were filmed at the Inhotim Institute in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais. Most of the scenes shot at Inhotim are concentrated in the central gardens – especially in the place where the statue of the "Founding Couple" stands, inserted using CGI. But three other pavilions also served as filming locations: Adriana Varejão pavilion (where the characters access the submarine), Cosmococas, by Hélio Oiticica (the military center) and Sonic Pavilion, by Doug Aitken (where the council meeting takes place).
The third season included as new filming location the conservation unit Dunas do Rosado at Porto do Mangue, Rio Grande do Norte, used for the scenes of the "Shell".
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 85%, based on 20 reviews, with an average score of 6.5/10. The critical consensus reads: "Despite comparisons to other teen-centric dystopian thrillers, 3% separates itself from the pack by focusing on characters with complicated backstories and personalities." Liz Shannon Miller gave the first season a B+ in her review for IndieWire, saying that the series left her "surprised and impressed." Calum Henderson of the New Zealand Herald said in his review "The characters are the show's strongest point, though, and it skillfully introduces the six core candidates throughout the Process' preliminary challenges in the first episode."
Doppio Games, in association with Netflix, developed a free-to-play voice-based game based on the series, released to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The game featured a prequel storyline written in collaboration with Pedro Aguilera, showrunner and writer of the series. It was shut down on August 12, 2022.