Fans of Isaac Asimov‘s legendary science fiction series, “Foundation,” found themselves having nightmares at the news that 2012 and 1998’s Godzilla director Roland Emmerich was making a CG-heavy, Avatar-style trilogy of movies based on the books. That was back in 2010, and, thankfully, things didn’t work out.
Now comes a new attempt at adapting the “Foundation” series that might just be a little more appealing to fans…those who are open to an adaptation in the first place, anyway. It’s being reported that Interstellar writer Jonathan Nolan is developing a TV series based on Asimov’s books for HBO.
Nolan has been developing the series for a few months now, after HBO acquired the rights earlier this summer, and he will both write and produce. HBO is joining forces with Warner Bros. Television for the series.
Here’s a description of the “Foundation” series from its Wiki page:
The premise of the series is that the mathematician Hari Seldon spent his life developing a branch of mathematics known as psychohistory, a concept of mathematical sociology. Using the laws of mass action, it can predict the future, but only on a large scale. Seldon foresees the imminent fall of the Galactic Empire, which encompasses the entire Milky Way, and a dark age lasting 30 thousand years before a second great empire arises. Seldon also foresees an alternative where the interregnum will last only one thousand years. To ensure the more favorable outcome, Seldon creates a foundation of talented artisans and engineers at the extreme end of the galaxy, to preserve and expand on humanity’s collective knowledge, and thus become the foundation for a new galactic empire.
Nolan is also working on another sci-fi series for HBO, Westworld, which is based on the movie of the same name directed by author Michael Crichton and starring Yul Brynner. Nolan is directing the pilot episode of the series, writing along with his wife Lisa Joy, and executive producing alongside his wife and J.J. Abrams
Nolan was nominated for an Oscar for his work writing Memento, an honor shared with his brother Christopher Nolan, who also directed. The Nolan brothers collaborate often, with Jonathan working on the screenplays for The Prestige, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises in addition to the previously mentioned Interstellar and Memento.
Is a TV series based on Asimov’s “Foundation” on HBO and from Jonathan Nolan something you’re more interested in seeing than a movie, or do you feel this is something that should be left in book form?
[Source: The Wrap]
Can’t wait to see what they do with it. If it doesn’t work, I can always turn it off. 8-)
Comment by NancyDL — November 11, 2014 @ 11:32 pm
The big question is, will he start with Foundation or the prequel Prelude to Foundation written 40ish years later? In any event, looking forward to it.
Comment by Chris Freeman — November 12, 2014 @ 9:44 am
This is super exciting as a fan and I do think it will work much better as a series vs. a movie. There are so many political overtones that a TV series would be much better to let that get spelled out correctly rather than trying to wrap that up in a 2-3 hour flick. Curious to see where their starting point will be in relation to the books. And you know, Nolan and J.J., so…
Comment by cem420 — November 12, 2014 @ 10:47 am