Confirmation, Cast, Story & Everything We Know

Foundation season 3 is rumored to have already started production, and here is what is known, from its cast and story to a possible release window.

Summary

• Foundation, Apple TV+'s adaptation of Isaac Asimov's novel series, has been renewed for a third season due to its global success and captivating storyline.
• The cast for Foundation Season 3 remains unknown, but it is likely to include some characters from Season 2 despite a significant time jump.
• The plot for Season 3 is still unknown, but it is expected to introduce major conflicts and potentially bring back protagonist Hari Seldon.

Foundation, Apple TV+'s adaptation of the Isaac Asimov novel series of the same name, first aired in 2021, with two season currently complete and a third on the way. The first season of Foundation received mixed-to-positive reviews, with praise going to the set design and acting of both Jared Harris, as protagonist Hari Seldon, and Lee Pace as the villain Brother Day, one of a series of genetic clones that rules the Galactic Empire. That first season picked up two Primetime Emmy nominations and won two Visual Effects Society Awards and that led to a second season, which premiered in 2023.

The books that the series is based on took the form of a trilogy, published from 1951 to 1953, which was followed by two more books in 1982 and 1986 and prequel novels written in 1988 and 1993. The original trilogy on which the Apple TV+ show is based was originally collected as short stories and novellas and is based on The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, but based in a sci-fi world of warring planets and a Galactic Empire. With such an intriguing premise it's no surprise that Foundation has become so popular.

Foundation Season 3 Recent News

Season 3 Is Confirmed

Apple TV+ has now officially announced that Foundation has been renewed for a third season. Apple TV+'s head of programming, Matt Cherniss, spoke about the success of the series with the announcement:

We have all been incredibly impressed with the ambitious, action-packed and imaginative adaptation that David and the rest of this gifted creative team and cast have brought to life with this premium sci-fi series from day one. To watch ‘Foundation’ become such a global hit has been beyond exciting with audiences around the world continuing to be captivated week after week by this dramatic and compelling journey to save humanity. We can’t wait for everyone to experience what is in store for characters old and new in season three.

Foundation Has Been Renewed For Season 3

Apple TV+ officially announced the renewal of Foundation for a third season in December, although there has been no mention of when it might release, or if filming has started. Interestingly, though, there were rumors circulating in August and September 2023 that the third season was already greenlit, as reported by varoius outlets. There was even news that filming for the third season had already started. However, creator David S. Goyer refused to confirm these rumors (via Tech Radar). While these were never confirmed, now that the season has been officially renewed, it may mean that production was underway before the announcement was made.

Foundation Season 3 Cast

Most of The Foundation season 3 cast remains unknown, but it could include many of the characters from the second season. However, there was a 138-year time jump between the first and second seasons, so there is a chance that the cast could also change if there is another massive time jump. However, thanks to the sci-fi nature of the series, some characters carried over despite the time jump. Examples of cast members that made it from season 1 to season 2 despite the time jump include Jared Harris as mathematician Hari Seldon and Lee Pace as Brother Day.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star Alexander Siddig is returning to the cast of Foundation season 3, but will be playing an entirely different character. Siddig appeared in a single episode in season 1 as Advocate Xylas, but is being promoted to a recurring character when he debuts as Dr. Ebling Mis, a psycho-historian who studies the work of Hari Seldon.

However, there do appear to be some people who won't return to the Foundation season 3 cast, including Harris's Hari Seldon, who died in the sixth episode of season 2, "Why the Gods Made Wine." It also appears that Leah Harvey's Salvor Hardin might be doomed, as Gaal Dornick saw him die 150 years in the future. Of course, this is a sci-fi series, so they could still return in some form or another. Here is a look at the Foundation season 3 cast based on the information provided so far:

• Jared Harris as Hari Seldon
• Lee Pace as Brother Day
• Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
• Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin
• Laura Birn as Eto Demerzel
• Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
• Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk
• Isabella Laughland as Brother Constant
• Kulvinder Ghir as Poly Verisof
• Ella-Rae Smith as Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion
• Holt McCallany as Warden Jaegger Fount
• Rachel House as Tellem Bond
• Nimrat Kaur as Yanna Seldon
• Ben Daniels as Bel Riose
• Dimitri Leonidas as Hober Mallow

Foundation Season 3 Story

The plot of Foundation season 3 is still unknown, although season 2 ended with another huge time jump (which also happened between seasons 1 and 2). The season 2 finale ended with a time jump of 152 years, which is going to connect to the story of the Mule, a mentalic originally destined to kill Salvor Hardin. There is also the shocking fact that the main protagonist, Hari Seldon, died in the second season. Whatever the details are, it is clear that the third season of the show is going to be setting up major conflicts for all the characters.

When he created the idea for the Apple TV+ story, David Goyer said this was "a 1,000-year chess game between Hari Seldon and the Empire, and all the characters in between are the pawns" (via THR). Based on that statement, the Foundation season 3 story might see Hari returning after all.