Showrunner David Goyer Discusses Foundation Ambitions, Shared Universe Potential With I, Robot (Exclusive)

By Jamie Lovett

Adapting Foundation is a massive undertaking. Isaac Asimov's trilogy of novels has long been considered unfilmable but David S. Goyer convinced Apple TV+ to give it a shot, pitching it as an 80-episode, eight-season series. But even that only scratches the surface of Foundation's scope. After publishing the original Foundation trilogy in the 1950s, Asimov produced a sequel trilogy in the 1980s and two prequels thereafter, which tied the Foundation series into the same universe as Asimov's other two long-running sci-fi series, the Robot series (its best-known entry being I, Robot) and the Galactic Empire series. With that much potential material to cover, we asked Foundation showrunner David S. Goyer if he's keen to expand the Foundation television universe to include stories like I, Robot. Right now, he's focused on getting as many eyeballs as possible on Foundation Season 2, which premiered on Friday, and making sure viewers get a satisfying conclusion to that story one way or another. However, he does have ideas.

"Look, n success, anything is possible, right?" Goyer says. "If we're fortunate enough to go eight seasons, do I think we have 80 episodes worth of story to tell? Absolutely. Am I creating different off-ramps in case we don't get there for one reason or another? Absolutely, because I don't want to leave the audience hanging. But are there other stories that we would like to tell that don't fit within those 80 episodes? Yes, absolutely. A lot's going to depend on how Season 2 is received by the audience and how much of a groundswell there is and whether or not the audience builds from Season 1."

To that end, Goyer suggests that Foundation Season 2 may be a great jumping-on point for newcomers to the Apple TV+ series. Where Foundation's first season had to do some heavy lifting to establish the sci-fi concepts that shape the story, including engaging in multiple time jumps, the series' sophomore outing is considerably more straightforward.

"Season 1, as you alluded to had a lot of exposition, of pipe laying," Goyer says. "There were a lot of crazy concepts that we had to explain to the audience whether it be psychohistory itself or the concept of the Foundation or the genetic dynasty. All of that heavy lifting has been done by the time we get to Season 2. Season 1 had a number of time jumps. Season 2 largely plays out in a linear fashion. There are a couple of flashbacks but they're simply traditional flashbacks. I think Season 2 is a much easier entry point largely because we weren't burdened with that exposition and because we had more time in Season 2 to not do exposition, I think we get to dig deeper into the characters. So if anything, I think the biggest challenge for Season 2 was just wanting to broaden our audience so that we could get to 80 episodes if that's the case. So I was very cognizant of that when I met with the writers to map out Season 2. How do we broaden the audience and how do we make sure that this appeals to even people that wouldn't consider themselves fans of science fiction?"

What is Foundation Season 2 about? How to watch:

According to the official synopsis for Foundation Season 2, "More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy in Foundation season two. 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."

Foundation Season 2 features returning stars Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, Lee Pace as Brother Day, Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick, Leah Harvey Salvor Hardin, Laura Birn as Eto Demerzel, Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn, and Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk. It also introduces newcomers to the series, including Isabella Laughland, Kulvinder Ghir, Ella-Rae Smith, Holt McCallany, Rachel House, Nimrat Kaur, Ben Daniels, and Dimitri Leonidas. David S. Goyer is Foundation's showrunner.

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Foundation returned for its second season on Friday, July 14th. New episodes debut on Apple TV+ on Fridays.

Editors note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG actors' strike.

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