Everything We Know About Foundation Season 2, The Return Of The Apple TV+ Sci-Fi Series

While "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" got all the attention for being the most expensive TV show in history (and was — deservedly! — praised for actually putting that money on screen with its massive settings), there is another show that is just as visually impressive and expansive — the Apple TV+ series "Foundation."

While we wait for "Dune: Part Two" to bring back desert power and giant worms, "Foundation" is the seminal sci-fi book adaptation to watch. Based on Isaac Asimov's magnum opus of the same name — which actually inspired Frank Herbert to craft the tale of Paul Atreides — "Foundation" is a true sci-fi epic, the likes of which we haven't gotten in decades. The show looks simply stunning, with vast worlds and gorgeous alien locations.

The first season had some fascinating moments and ideas, like Lee Pace playing one-third of an immortal emperor (that is to say, one of three clones, each at a different point in the emperor's life), or math saving the universe, and season 2 seems to be aiming even higher. Now, what does that mean, exactly? And when will you be able to see the return of everyone's favorite dead psychohistorian Hari Seldon? That's where we come in. Here's everything we know about "Foundation" season 2 so far.

It's been two years since "Foundation" first premiered, telling the story of the titular Foundation — a repository of human knowledge collected by a group of scientists and other exiles whose leader, Seldon, predicted the destruction of the Galactic Empire. 

The show got a fast renewal order after the first handful of episodes hit Apple TV+, promising more worlds and characters. Showrunner David S. Goyer actually has plans for a whopping eight seasons of the show and a total of 80 episodes. When you think about Isaac Asimov's original story, and how it spans tens of thousands of years, then Goyer's hopes are rather sensible, even if sustaining such an expensive-looking show for so long sounds less-than-tenable given the current state of things in the streaming world. 

Either way, "Foundation" season 2 was originally announced for Summer 2023, but now we have an actual release date: July 14, 2023. The season will once again span 10 episodes, with each episode dropping weekly on Apple TV+.

Oh boy, strap in because there are a lot of names to get through. "Foundation," much like Isaac Asimov's source material, involves countless characters that shape the fate of the universe. Season 1 had dozens of characters, but given that season 2 is jumping ahead more than a century, we're going to see a lot more new faces, as the cast grows exponentially. We still have Jared Harris and Lee Pace returning as Hari Seldon and Brother Day, respectively, as well as Laura Birn, Cassian Bilton, and Terrence Mann coming back from season 1. (As for how, expect some time dilation shenanigans and/or plenty of flashbacks.)

Then there are the new faces, of which there are many. "Foundation" season 2 will add the likes of Isabella Laughland (Brother Constant), Kulvinder Ghir (Poly Verisof), Ella-Rae Smith (Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion), Sandra Yi Sencindiver (Enjoiner Rue), Dimitri Leonidas (Hober Mallow), Holt McCallany (Warden Jaegger Fount), Rachel House (Tellem Bond), Nimrat Kaur (Yanna Seldon), Ben Daniels (Bel Riose), and Dimitri Leonidas (Hober Mallow).

The first season ended with a digital copy of Hari Seldon explaining that the Foundation was meant to forge a new civilization on the outskirts of the Empire. Meanwhile, Brother Day discovered a conspiracy that had altered their DNA years ago, affecting them in unknown ways. 

For the new season, we're finally seeing one of the most interesting aspects of the original book: time skips. "Foundation" season 2 is jumping forward more than a century, and things are bleak. According to the official synopsis:

As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal, and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, promulgating the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire. The monumental adaptation of "Foundation" 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.

Arguably the most exciting part of this is the inclusion of Mentalics, one of the weirder aspects of Isaac Asimov's writing. It's the Mentalics that radically alter the course of the Foundation's history, particularly a Mentalic leader Hari Seldon was never able to predict. That Mentalic, known as the Mule, serves as a sort of counterpart to Paul Atreides in "Dune," meaning we can expect some big revolutions in "Foundation" soon enough.