Isaac Asimov is generally regarded as one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time, his works adapted into multiple media. And now Apple TV+ is set to premiere Foundation, an adaptation of Asimov’s book series of the same name. Foundation is easily Asimov’s most famous work and in 1966, it won the one-time Hugo Award for “Best All-Time Series.” The novels have had an impact beyond fiction, seeping into real-world social science.
The Foundation novels narrate the decline of a vast galactic empire and a mathematician’s efforts to save it. Considering its prestigious source material and fascinating premise, Foundation promises to be an expansive sci-fi saga that could prove to be a real treat for fans of the genre. The new series has been created by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Da Vinci’s Demons) and Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Asimov’s daughter Robyn Asimov provides familial assistance for the show.
The original novels inspired many of the most popular sci-fi franchises, including Star Wars. So expectations are high and this is one show you definitely need to check out if you’re a sci-fi fan. While few concrete facts about Foundation’s story have been revealed yet, we do have some details about the series. And so we’ve put together this handy guide covering everything we know so far about Foundation, from the plot and casting details to updates on filming and release dates. Let’s begin, shall we?
Watch the Foundation Trailers
Two teasers and one full-length trailer for Foundation have been released so far. The first teaser was released by Apple on June 22, 2020, as part of their Worldwide Developers Conference. It opens with David Goyer talking about the importance of Asimov’s Foundation series and the impact it has had on science fiction. We then get a brief introduction to the world of the show and some of the main characters. The teaser also features a number of clips showcasing the spectacular visuals of the series.
The second teaser was released on June 28, 2021. This one expands on the show’s premise, revealing more about the Galactic Empire and the threat to its future. It also reveals that goal of the show’s protagonists is not to prevent the empire’s fall but to survive it. As they put it in the video, “You can’t save yourself but you can save your legacy.” The second teaser also confirmed the release date for the show.
The third trailer goes into more detail about Lou Llobell's character, Gaal Dornick. It also tells us more about psychohistory, describing it as "the future of mankind expressed in numbers". The trailer goes on to show scenes of mass chaos, including uprisings, catastrophic destruction, and at least one suicide bomber. The video also reveals the protagonists' plan to "soften the fall": the creation of a foundation that shall preserve the most essential bits of science and culture necessary for humanity to build itself back up after the empire is destroyed.
When Is the Foundation Release Date?
Foundation will be coming to Apple TV+ on September 24, 2021. The show has already completed filming so it’s unlikely that it will get delayed from this date. So go ahead and mark your calendars!
Who Is in the Foundation Cast?
Considering the centuries-spanning concept of Foundation, we can expect to see a lot of cast members come and go as the series progresses. Not all the actors involved have been revealed yet but we do know who the main cast members are going to be.
The cast members of Foundation who have been revealed so far are Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Cassian Bilton, Terrence Mann, Alfred Enoch, and Lou Llobell. Lee Pace and Jared Harris’ casting was announced back in October 2019. Five more cast members, Llobell, Harvey, Birn, Bilton, and Mann, were announced in December of the same year. Alfred Enoch was the last main cast member to be announced. The show will be featuring a mix of original characters from the novels and new characters created specifically for the show.
Who Are the Confirmed Characters in Foundation?
Jared Harris will be playing Hari Seldon. A mathematics professor, Seldon develops the science of psychohistory, combining sociology, psychology, and mathematics to predict the collective actions of a society. Using this cutting-edge science, Seldon predicts the inevitable fall of the Galactic Empire, setting the events of Foundation into motion.
Lee Pace appears in the show as Brother Day, the Emperor of the Galaxy. A new character created for the series, Brother Day is one of three clones of the same person, alongside Brother Dusk and Brother Dawn. Together, these three emperor clones are the Cleons, the ruling dynasty of the Galactic Empire. The majority of Foundation’s story is an extended game of strategy between Brother Day and Hari Seldon. Cassian Bilton plays Brother Dawn, who is the youngest of the brothers and next in line to become Brother Day. Terrence Mann appears as Brother Dusk, the eldest brother.
Lou Llobell will be appearing as Gaal Dornick. A mathematical genius from a rural, backwater planet, Gaal is Seldon’s protege and helper in the psychohistorical project. Based on the trailers, it looks like she might shape up to be Seldon’s successor. In the books, Gaal Dornick is male and Seldon’s biographer.
Leah Harvey plays Salvor Hardin, whom Variety describes as the “protective and intuitive warden of a remote outer planet”. In the books, that planet is called Terminus and it’s a colony of scientists and professionals founded by Hari Seldon.
Laura Birn appears as Eto Demerzel, who is also presented as male in the books. An enigmatic figure, Demerzel is an aide to the Emperor but has plans and secrets of her own. In the books, Eto Demerzel has a very important role that connects Asimov’s Robot series to Foundation. While it’s unclear if the show will keep that latter aspect of the character, this is one person you need to watch out for.
Alfred Enoch plays Raych Seldon, Hari Seldon’s adopted son. The character becomes a trusted ally of his father’s in the books and goes on to influence galactic events in a big way. He also ends up having a family and his children are also very important.
How Many Episodes Does Foundation Have?
Apple has ordered 10 episodes from Foundation for its first season. In a January 2021 interview, David Goyer had stated that he hopes to be able to tell the show’s story “over the course of eighty episodes; eighty hours, as opposed to trying to condense it all into two or three hours for a single film.”
Goyer and Josh Friedman were both initially set to serve as the show’s writers but Friedman left the project in 2019. That leaves Goyer as the sole showrunner. Besides them, other writers who have penned episodes for the show include Leigh Dana Jackson (Helix), Marcus Gardley (The Chi), Sarah Nolen (The Americans), Victoria Morrow (Weeds), and Eisner and Hugo Award-winning author Saladin Ahmed, who is perhaps best known for his work on Marvel comics like Miles Morales: Spider-Man and The Magnificent Ms. Marvel.
Will Foundation Episodes Be Released Weekly or All at Once?
When Foundation premieres on Apple TV+ on September 24, only the first two episodes will be released. The subsequent episodes of the first season shall then be made available weekly, with one new episode being added to the streaming service every Friday.
How Many Seasons Will Foundation Be?
While Apple hasn't confirmed the long-term plan for Foundation, we can make an educated guess about how long it might take for the show's story to be told. Since the first season has ten episodes and Goyer has said that he hopes for an eighty episode story, fans can probably expect the show to run for about eight seasons. That said, it's entirely possible that some subsequent seasons could be longer or shorter than the first. And any talk about future seasons is obviously just speculation unless Season 1 becomes the smash hit everyone expects it to be, of course.
When Is Foundation Filming?
Production on the show in Ireland was paused in March 2020 due to COVID-19, resuming on October 6 of the same year. In January 2021, Goyer announced that production would be moving to Malta after quarantining and receiving special waivers from the government of Malta for the cast and crew members.
Filming continued in Malta until February 2021. The show was also filmed in the Canary Islands, specifically in Tuineje, Fuerteventura, and Tenerife. The Canary Islands leg of production reportedly included work in volcanic landscapes including Caldera de Los Arrabales and Granja de Pozo Negro.
The first season’s episodes were directed by a team of acclaimed directors including Alex Graves (Altered Carbon, Lost in Space), Rupert Sanders (Ghost in the Shell), Jennifer Phang (Resident Alien), and Roxann Dawson (Star Trek: Enterprise). Filming officially concluded in April 2021 after 19 months of production.
When and Where Is Foundation Set?
Asimov’s Foundation novels begin approximately in the year 47000 CE/AD. At this point, humanity has left the Earth and established a massive empire spanning the entire Milky Way Galaxy. In fact, it’s been so long since humans left our homeworld that no one even remembers where Earth actually is, and in a way, the planet is almost a myth.
The story picks up in the twilight years of the future Galactic Empire. The show is expected to cover a thousand-year timeline during which Hari Seldon predicts that the Galactic Empire will come to an end. So that’s a really vast amount of time and space to situate the story in, with countless worlds and actual centuries worth of events to choose from.
What Is the Plot of the Foundation Series?
Foundation revolves around one key discovery made by Hari Seldon using the cutting-edge science of psychohistory: that the Galactic Empire would fall, plunging humanity into a Dark Age.
By the time Seldon discovers this fact, it’s already too late to prevent the end of the empire. But Seldon believes that it might be possible to save humanity as a whole by setting up a “foundation” where science and culture can be preserved. While this wouldn’t prevent the Dark Age, it could shorten it to just a thousand years. That might still sound like a long time but it’s significantly less than the alternative.
Of course, as is usually the case when someone predicts a catastrophic future, Seldon’s predictions are not well-received by the Imperial government. The ruling dynasty fears the future Seldon predicts and sees him as a charlatan or false messiah. What then ensues is a complicated game of strategy between Seldon and the Empire.
When David Goyer pitched the show to Apple, he reportedly summed it up as a “1,000-year chess game between Hari Seldon and the Empire, and all the characters in between are the pawns, but some of the pawns over the course of this saga end up becoming kings and queens.”
That’s pretty much what Foundation is all about. On the one hand, the Galactic Empire refuses to allow its power to be doubted. And on the other hand, Seldon is determined to save humanity even if it means incurring the wrath of the Empire. What follows is going to be an epic battle of the minds unlike anything we’ve seen before, provided the show gets it right. Here’s how Apple has officially described the series' plot:
"When revolutionary Dr. Hari Seldon predicts the impending fall of the Empire, he and a band of loyal followers venture to the far reaches of the galaxy to establish The Foundation in an attempt to rebuild and preserve the future of civilization. Enraged by Hari's claims, the ruling Cleons — a long line of emperor clones — fear their unrivaled reign may be weakening as they’re forced to reckon with the potential reality of losing their powerful legacy forever. Featuring an international cast led by Emmy Award nominees Jared Harris and Lee Pace, alongside rising stars Lou Llobell and Leah Harvey, the monumental adaptation chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties, and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity."