Foundation interview: David S. Goyer, Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell and Leah Harvey on tackling the Apple TV+ adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s epic sci-fi series
- Show creator David S. Goyer says the new series, with its extensive rewriting of the original books and even gender-swapping, has to reach beyond sci-fi fans
- For Jared Harris, starring as mathematician Hari Seldon was a ‘formidable challenge’, trickier even than his past roles as Ulysses S. Grant and John Lennon
If the origin of modern science fiction can be traced to a big bang, it was called Foundation: a monumental book series by Isaac Asimov that began in 1942 as run of short stories, which were later turned into a trilogy of novels, before being added to with a number of sequels and prequels.
The series had never been adapted for screen, so daunting had proved the task of visualising Asimov’s universe. Eventually, however, someone was going to have to summon the courage to do so. Step forward David S. Goyer, executive producer and show creator of Apple TV+’s Foundation series that premieres on September 24.
Goyer’s first problem, of many, was the project’s scope, which necessitated extensive rewrites of the novels, reinventions and even some gender-swapping. Was he risking the ire of diehard Asimov fans?
“That’s part of adapting great works,” he told the South China Morning Post in a multinational video call that included the cast’s biggest names. “The books exist, they’re there, no one’s changing them, but the show is not the books.
“If this is to work, it’s going to have to reach beyond those who have read the books and beyond fans of science fiction,” he added. “Something like this must work for a very broad audience. I count myself a fan who reveres the books, [but] Asimov knew that if Foundation were ever adapted, someone would have to take liberties.”
Equally aware of the weight of expectation were the actors, chief among them Jared Harris, who stars as mathematician Hari Seldon. Did he feel extra pressure in becoming a character that had countless millions of fans?