FOUNDATION Series to be Filmed

After a three-way fight for the film rights, Columbia Pictures came out the victor and will be developing a movie based on Isaac Asimov’s classic FOUNDATION trilogy.

Roland Emmerich, best known for his films INDEPENDENCE DAY, STARGATE and THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, has been tapped to helm the series.

The movie is supposed to be based on the first book (FOUNDATION) so should tell the story of a group of scientists who are desperately trying to predict the end of current civilization so they can protect mankind’s knowledge before it’s lost. (Another Dark Ages only on a Galactic scale this time.)

In the book, the people trying to save it all are led by Hari Seldon, a mathematician who has developed a theory called Psychohistory – a way to predict what extremely large groups of people will do in the future using mathematic equations.  His discoveries are horrifying.  Everything may be gone in less than 500 years given the way things are going.

The scientists then try to convince the Galactic Empire it has problems.  Unfortunately, at this late date in the game, saying anything against the GE is treasonable, so Hari is put on trial for his life.  Will anyone listen before it’s too late or will they kill the one person who might save humanity 30,000 years of horror?

(Sounds just like the kind of story Emmerich does well, don’t you think?)

No word yet on who might be playing the pivotal role of Hari Seldon or any type of projected release date.

The first book in the original FOUNDATION trilogy was originally published in 1951 as a set of 5 short stories with one central plot, but the message is still relevant today.  (A big one is: Learn from your mistakes before it’s too late… or else! =)  Then came FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE and SECOND FOUNDATION, supposedly finishing the story, but leaving quite a few loose ends according to most fans.

The trilogy then was followed by two sequels written almost 30 years after the original trilogy came out to try to satisfy readers who weren’t happy with the way things were left, and then two prequels, the last of which was the final book in the series written before Asimov passed away.

So, depending on how well the first movie does, there will be plenty of material left for more…

(It will be interesting to see how Hollywood handles the beloved trilogy after what they did to I, ROBOT, hmmm? I thought it was a good movie even if it did play fast and loose with the original books.)