Foundation Season 4 Is Officially Coming, But Fans May Have One Reason To Worry

While psychohistory may only be able to predict the actions of the masses rather than individuals, this bit of news was pretty much inevitable. The season 3 finale of "Foundation" hasn't even hit streaming yet, but Apple TV+ is already committing itself to at least one more season of the ambitious, expensive, and gloriously nerdy science-fiction series. Today, the tech platform announced that "Foundation" season 4 has been officially greenlit and will begin production early next year, which comes as excellent news for fans of the ongoing Isaac Asimov adaptation. Readers of the original novellas know that the story could sustain itself for a number of years to come — as much as eight full seasons, in fact, based on the original plan. There's no word on whether that's still the case, to be clear, but the show is certainly one step closer to reaching that lofty goal now.

Of course, this also bodes well for those looking forward to seeing how the ongoing season wraps up. In what can be interpreted as a public show of confidence, the creative team behind "Foundation" celebrated the renewal and teased (in extremely vague terms, natch) what remains in store for viewers. In a statement, co-showrunners/executive producers Ian Goldberg and David Kob had this to say:

"There is no series quite like 'Foundation,' and we feel lucky and honored to be carrying the torch forward as co-showrunners into season 4. We look forward to continuing the epic, emotional storytelling that defined the first three seasons of the show, and to be working alongside some of the most talented, passionate creative partners in the business."

Eagle-eyed viewers may notice the name of one critical member of the creative team is conspicuously missing from this announcement, however, which may speak to some potential reason to worry.

Who knew the impending fall of the Empire and the darkness promised to come after wouldn't be all sunshine and rainbows? As much as "Foundation" season 3 has plunged us headfirst towards an awfully uncertain endpoint, the behind-the-scenes drama unfolding on the actual production side of the show might very well rival it. Those who've been paying attention may remember that prolific writer and producer David S. Goyer (known for his work with Christopher Nolan on the latter's Batman films, the "Blade" movies, Netflix's "The Sandman" series, and so on) helped bring "Foundation" to life in the first place. Having worked on the series as a showrunner, director, producer, and co-creator since its debut season, Goyer's involvement with "Foundation" apparently ran its course partway through season 3, as The Hollywood Reporter revealed back in 2024.

So, why the shakeup? The report indicated that Goyer parted ways over concerns about the season 3 budget. "Foundation" has famously deployed a mind-boggling amount of visual effects for a streaming series, every cent of which was needed to bring Isaac Asimov's vision of an epic and sprawling universe set in the far reaches of space. Digging more deeply, however, Goyer actually expanded on this in a Q&A post on his personal website. As he explained, "I'd estimate my contribution to be about 85% of the [third] season — so most of the big moves. But there are definitely some creative or financial choices that were made that I would have steered away from." As for the fourth season, it appears the new creative team will be starting from scratch. In another response, Goyer stated:

"I haven't written any scripts for [season 4]. I did have an overall plan, but I don't believe the new team is adhering to any of those ideas. They are charting their own path and making it their own, as they should."

What this means for "Foundation" moving forward is anyone's guess. In the short term, the press release cites Ian Goldberg and David Kob as the co-showrunners who will take the reins from here on out. It'll be worth monitoring whether season 4 (and hopefully beyond) can match the same quality as the first three. Until then, the season 3 finale streams tomorrow, September 12, 2025, on Apple TV+.