Considering how prolific and influential Isaac Asimov was for the science fiction genre (to say nothing of his science writing in general), it speaks to the density of his ideas that so few TV and film adaptations have come from his work. Apple TV+’s upcoming series Foundation, which will bring the author’s expansive novel-and-story series to life, could easily lead to an uptick in Asimov-centric pop culture, as the streaming series’ first official trailer looks every bit as epic and complicated and thought-provoking as the source material and latter-day Star Wars films. (That said, Foundation could use some cute creatures waddling around.)
Apple TV+ is clearly putting a lot of money and effort behind Foundation and a lot of it shows on the screen, whether you're talking about the otherworldly settings, the robust and gorgeous CGI, the stellar practical effects, the many different and elaborate costumes, and so on. And so on. The massive undertaking behind bringing this story to live-action is a big reason why it's gone without any major films or TV series over the years, despite several attempts to make it happen, but creators Davis S. Goyer (Krypton) and Josh Friedman (Snowpiercer) clearly had the magic touch to make this epic adaptation a reality.
In the simplest terms of Foundation's synopsis, the thousand-year story will focus on a group of exiled humans who embark on a one-of-a-kind journey with a goal of rescuing humanity and building up civilization anew following the fall of the Galactic Empire. Not the same Empire as Star Wars, of course, though heavy influences can obviously be found here. Making things less optimistic for the protagonists is the damning prophecy from the historian brainiac Hari Seldon, as portrayed with the expected stoicism by Chernobyl and The Terror's Jared Harris.
Foundation features a solid lineup of cast members, as well, including Guardians of the Galaxy's Lee Pace, Les Misérables' Leah Harvey, Voyagers' Lou Llobell, The Innocents' Laura Birn, Sense8's Terrence Mann, the Harry Potter franchise's Alfred Enoch and more. You just know this is the kind of show that will introduce wide swaths of characters only to have them all blow up or get crushed by falling buildings/crashed spaceships. It's just inevitable.
Isaac Asimov first brought Foundation to life as a series of short stories published throughout the 1940s, which were brought together to serve as the initial trilogy of novels, with the sequels being Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation. While the trilogy remained as is for decades, Asimov penned a fourth and fifth novel in 1982 and 1986, titled Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth, and also wrote two prequels that were published in 1988 and in 1993, the year after Asimov's death. So basically, Apple TV+ and creators David S. Goyer and
Josh Friedman have enough material to make this show last for many years, assuming critics and streaming audiences turn out in droves to justify what is presumably a pretty massive budget. (Goyer has stated he'd like the show to run for 80 episodes.)
Foundation is set to debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 24, so be sure to strap yourself in for an explosive and destructive time, albeit one that might not include the most happy-go-lucky TV viewing of your day. Be sure to stay current with all the other 2021 Fall TV shows hitting the schedule as well!
