Isaac Asimov’s seminal sci-fi sagaFoundation, which was a major influence for such properties likeStar WarsandStar Trek, is coming toApple TV+this September. The space opera, largely considered impossible to adapt for decades, has a big budget, big-name stars, and a lot of promise – with surprisingly low expectations. Here’s everything we know about the adaption to the epic saga that has, somehow, fallen a little under the radar for so many years.
The story ofFoundationis based on Asimov’s trilogy, the 1951Foundation,and its two sequels, 1952’sFoundation and Empireand 1953’sSecond Foundation. Despite the fact that Asimov’s work is largely credited with influencing science fiction as it exists today, his most important work,Foundation, isn’t mainstream at all. Part of that might be that the story itself has been considered –a little likeDune, which is also getting an adaptation, and which was partly inspired by Asimov’s work – too sprawling and complicated to be adapted, until now. Some of it might be on the scope, as the story does take place over a literal millennium. The rest is probably up to the fact that putting visuals to this story, written seventy years ago, was thought to be incredibly complicated till the last few years.
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Set in the future, the show, like the novels, will follow Hari Seldon, the inventor of psychohistory, a fictional science that combines history, sociology, and statistics to make predictions about the future behavior of large groups. Considering Hari lives in the Galactic Empire, it’s probably not hard to guess where Hari predicts things will go. Considering Hari is smart enough to invent a new science, the fact that he figures out a contingency plan to “limit” the damage and preserve the spirit of science and civilization shouldn’t be a surprise. How much of that, and in what order, fans will get to see in the show, however, is unclear. The logline for the show states:
“Based on the award-winning novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.”
This description is vague enough that it’s impossible to tell for sure, but it indicates the show isn’t attempting to cover all three books. In fact, it’s likely the first season won’t even cover the entirety of the first book, and instead incorporate material from Asimov’s prequel novelsPrelude to FoundationandForward to Foundation, published in 1988 and 1993 respectively. This would give the show a chance to continue on for multiple seasons if enough people tune in.Apple TV+’s bet is big, and the production budget for Foundation is equally large, so the intention to continue on is clearly there. It will all hinge on audience reception.
The Cast
Foundationcomes with a star-studded cast, led by two-time Emmy nominee Jared Harris, whose biggest recent role was in theHBO limited-seriesChernobyl, but who is also well known for roles in other sci-fi series likeThe ExpanseandFringe. Harris will play Hari Seldon. Opposite him is Lee Pace, who playedRonan the Destroyer inGuardians of theGalaxy,Elven kingThranduil inThe Hobbitmovies, and Ned in the cult showPushing Daisies. Pace is set to play Emperor Brother Day.
Terrance Mann will play Brother Dusk and Cassian Bilton will play Brother Dawn, both members of the royal ruling family. Lou Llobel is set to play Gaal Dornick, Hari Seldon’s biographer, and Leah Harvey is set to play Salvador Hardin, the first mayor of Terminus City. Meanwhile, Laura Birn is set to play a role that was originally written as male, that of Eto Demerzel, while T’Nia Miller will play Halima, Pravesh Rana will play Rowan, Kubbra Sait will play Phara and Daniel MacPherson will play Hugo. Finally, Alfred Enoch, better known forHow to Get Away With Murderis also set to appear, in a yet unidentified role.
Where and When To Watch
Foundation will premiere September 24thon Apple TV+, with the first three episodes being made available the first week. The other seven episodes in this 10-episode season will then be released weekly, on Fridays, starting the week after.Unlike other streaming services, Apple TV+ releases episodes at midnight ET, instead of midnight PT. Apple TV+ releaseda trailer forFoundationa few weeks ago. The trailer is accompanied by the following legend:
“The Galactic Empire has brought peace to thousands of worlds, but the beliefs of one man now threaten their very existence.”
It’s taken a long time to bringFoundationto the screen, and with a team led by renowned writer David S. Goyer and with Asimov’s daughter Robyn Asimov involved in the production, a stellar cast, and a lot of material to choose from, it’s easy to see why fans are looking forward to this Apple TV+ adaptation. But adaptations of beloved works, particularly ones as influential asFoundation, always come with some trepidation. This is particularly true of a novel that’s more literary and dialogue-focused than action-minded. Hopefully, this adaptation will stay true to the heart of the story, while making it as enjoyable for new fans as it will undoubtedly be for those who have read the series before. That way fans will be able to enjoyFoundationfor seasons to come.
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