Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, arguably the most important work of sci-fi of the past century (besides Tek Jansen), is being developed as an HBO series written by Jonathan Nolan. He co-created the CBS series “Person Of Interest” with his wife, Lisa Joy Nolan, and he co-wrote Interstellar, The Dark Knight, and other movies with his brother, Christopher (you may have heard of him). He’s also working with HBO already on another sci-fi adaptation, Westworld. It bodes well for Westworld that HBO is eager to give him more writing work.
Nolan has been a long-time fan of the Foundation series, as evidenced by an interview with The Playlist:
What’s the one piece of science fiction you truly love that people don’t know enough about?
“[…] I f*cking love the Foundation novels by Isaac Asimov —they’re certainly not unknown, but that’s a set of books I think everyone would benefit from reading. That’s a set of books where the influence they have is just f*cking massive; they have many imitators and many have been inspired by them, but go back and read those, and there are some ideas in those that’ll set your f*cking hair on fire.”
We think he f*cking likes it.
We’re not sure yet if Nolan is adopting the original trilogy — which won a Hugo Award for the Best All-Time Series — or if he’ll pull material from all seven novels. The original trilogy follows the story of mathematician Hari Seldon, who invents a method of predicting large-scale events. Realizing his Galactic Empire is about to enter a dark age, he creates the Foundations, tasked with preserving knowledge and bringing a renaissance.
Speaking of dark ages, this news should be a huge relief to anyone who’s been following this adaptation. Back in 2010, the Foundation series was being set up for a film trilogy directed by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, the other Godzilla) and written by Dante Harper (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters). Because when I think about sweeping, intellectual sci-fi with nuanced and complex dialogue, I think of Independence Day and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. Sony let the rights to the adaptation lapse, and HBO bought it this past summer. Hallelujah. Let there be light.
Via The Wrap
