Isaac Asimov’s classic science fiction novels are getting prestige streaming treatment with a new Foundation TV series on Apple TV Plus.
Despite strong influence on everything from dune to Star Wars too The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for Futurama, this is the first time Foundation has made it to the big screen.
cash: 14 Apple TV Shows You Should Watch
After years of trying to get Foundation movies or shows off the ground, Apple seems to have finally cracked it. The Foundation may have been pushed back after COVID-related delays, but it’s back on track and will launch next month.
So read on to find out everything we know about the Foundation TV series coming to Apple TV Plus. And if you don’t already have Apple TV Plus, you can sign up by clicking the button below.
Apple TV Plus
Apple TV Plus may not have as much content compared to other streaming services, but it makes up for it in the quality of its content. This includes series like For All Mankind and Ted Lasso to films like The Banker, Greyhound and Palmer
What is the Foundation TV series about?
In the Foundation TV series, a group of exiles work to save humanity in the face of a crumbling empire.
Dr. Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) predicts the fall of the Galactic Empire in the distant future. This brings Seldon into conflict with the ruling Kleons, who want to stop him and his followers before they lose their generational rule.
Read: The best science fiction films on Netflix
But the Cleons know that if they simply kill Seldon, that act can strengthen his followers, who are already growing in number.
As civilization collapses, Seldon’s Foundation offers hope for future generations and uses the mathematician’s statistical laws to understand human history.
When and where can I watch it?
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Foundation premiere on September 24th exclusively on Apple TV Plus.
The first three episodes will launch simultaneously on September 24th, as will several other Apple original series.
After that, the series will be broadcast weekly.
Apple has not yet announced any plans for further seasons.
Who is involved
Foundation has a pretty impressive main cast that includes Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, and Cassian Bilton.
The overall cast is massive, however. Below is a list of actors we know will appear and the characters they will play:
- Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
- Daniel MacPherson as Hugo
- Jared Harris as Hari Seldon
- Kubbra Sait as Pharaoh
- Laura Birn as Eto Demerzel
- Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin
- Lee Pace as Brother Day
- Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
- Pravessh Rana as Rowan
- T’Nia Miller as Halima
- Terrence Mann as brother Dusk
- Clarke Peters (unknown role)
- Nikhil Parmar as Freestone
- Amy Tyger as Azura
- Buddy Skelton as Keir
- Mido Hamada as Master Shadow Obrecht
- Alicia Gerrard as Yate
- Isaiah Joshua Chambers as the Mystery Boy
- Johanna O’Brien as Shivaughn
- Nikol Kollars as Jacenta
- Brian F. Mulvey as Travik
- Darragh O’Toole as Romus
- Geoffrey Cantor as Ambassador Thanwall
- Jade Harrison as Bayla
- Julia Farino as Zephyr Gilat
- Cooper Carter as Young Dawn
- Kim Adis as Lowre
- Mark Lavery as Kalin
- Muiris Crowley as Tacud
- Abdul Alsareef as Comms Tech
- Ahd Tamimi as Magnus
- Alfred Enoch (unknown role)
David S. Goyer acts as the showrunner behind the camera. Goyer, who co-wrote the first two episodes of Foundation with Josh Friedman, is best known for shooting the Blade films, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, and Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.
Foundation directors include Rupert Sanders, Alex Graves, Jennifer Phang and Roxann Dawson,
Has the Foundation TV series been affected by COVID-19?
As with many series and films, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic halted production and delayed Foundation’s release.
Filming in Ireland was back in March 2020 when COVID restrictions were put in place. Apple has stopped manufacturing what was then its largest production facility in Ireland.
Foundation had to interrupt production along with other Apple series.
Other Apple TV Plus series affected by the end of production include See, Servant, For All Mankind, Lisey’s Story, and Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet.
A science fiction classic
The original Foundation, endowment is an iconic and influential science fiction work by the American author Isaac Asimov.
First published as a series of short stories in the 1940s and 50s, the works were collected as a trilogy of novels in the 50s – Foundation, endowment, Foundation and Empire, and Second foundation. Asimov won the Hugo Award for Foundation in 1966, which was recognized as the best series of all time.
The author later returned to the series. He wrote sequels and prequels to the original trilogy in the 1980s.
Foundation has its fingerprints throughout science fiction and fantasy history.
The further work connected the Foundation with Asimovs robot and rich Series, make Foundation, endowment part of a vast fictional universe.
Attempts have been made in the past to adapt Foundation, but the Foundation TV series on Apple TV Plus is the first project to actually take place. New Line Cinema, Sony and HBO held the rights to the property at various times from the 1990s.
Roland Emmerich was once a director, and Jonathan Nolan was signed by HBO on an earlier attempt on a series.
What to Expect from the Foundation TV Series
With so many stories to draw from, Apple could take the Foundation TV series in several directions. So far, synopses and trailers suggest that the series largely sticks to the main plot of the original stories that were collected in the Foundation, endowment Trilogy.
However, the series is unlikely to cover the events of all three novels in its first 10-episode season unless it cuts out a large chunk of the story.
It would be reasonable to assume that season one covers book one and that future seasons will cover later stories. (Assuming Foundation is a success big enough to warrant more.)
Aesthetically, we can already see from the trailers that this is a wonderful show with breathtaking visual effects, wonderful costumes and make-up as well as breathtaking locations.
We just have to hope it’s as good as it looks.
That’s all we know about the Foundation TV series coming out on Apple TV Plus in September.