'Foundation' Trailer: David S. Goyer Adapts The Isaac Asimov Sci-Fi Classic For Apple TV+

The work of Isaac Asimov serves as inspiration for the flashy new Apple TV+ sci-fi series Foundation. The upcoming show follows a band of exiles on a journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization during the fall of the Galactic Empire (note: this is not the same Galactic Empire from Star Wars, so please don't get confused). Jared Harris and Lee Pace lead the series, which comes from showrunner David S. Goyer. Watch the latest Foundation trailer below.

If the Dune trailers have whet your appetite for big, strange sci-fi based on seminal works from long-dead writers, you might want to check out Foundation, the new Apple TV+ series based on the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov. Foundation began as a series of short stories eventually collected into three books, forming a trilogy: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation. That was in the 1950s. In the 1980s, Asimov returned to the story with two sequels, Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth. Those were followed by two prequels: Prelude to Foundation and Forward the Foundation.

Now, David S. Goyer has taken Asimov's work and turned it into a new Apple TV+ series, and based on this trailer, it looks pretty darn good (although I take issue with the trailer called Goyer a "visionary mind." Look, I like a lot of Goyer's stuff, but let's not go crazy here). The 10-episode first season arrives in September, and tells the following story:

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 grasp on the galaxy may be weakening as they're forced to reckon with the potential reality of losing their legacy forever.

This monumental journey 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.

"In the decades since the Foundation series first saw print, Asimov's prophetic science-fiction work has never been more relevant than it is now," said Goyer, continuing:

"Growing up, I devoured Foundation and dreamed of one day seeing it on screen – but a feature film didn't seem big enough to embrace the ambition. Thanks to the broader landscape of streaming and a valuable partnership with Apple and Skydance, we are able to bring the series to the screen in a way that truly does it justice. Foundation has always been at the top of my bucket list and I'm honored I get to play a part in finally bringing it to life. Whether you're a fan of the novels or simply someone craving a mind-blowing epic, I'm excited to share with you what we've created."

While Goyer says a film couldn't contain the epic scope of the story, New Line Cinema spent $1.5 million developing a film version of the trilogy in the 1990s. The films never came together and New Line moved on to another big trilogy – Lord of the Rings. In the early 2000s, Columbia Pictures scooped up the rights to the books and wanted Independence Day helmer Roland Emmerich to direct. That version never got off the ground either. For a while there, HBO had the rights to the books, and there was talk of turning them into an HBO series. Now, it's on Apple TV+.

Goyer is showrunner and executive producer of the series, which also includes executive producers Robyn Asimov, Josh Friedman, Cameron Welsh, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost. The cast includes Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, Cassian Bilton, and Alfred Enoch. The first three episodes will drop on Apple TV+ on September 24, 2021, followed by one new episode arriving weekly every Friday.