Though no one at HBO will confirm the story in print, the Wrap is saying “multiple individuals familiar with the project” have told them Jonathan Nolan is developing Isaac Asimov’s beloved Foundation novels into a series for the cable network.
Great. Love Asimov. Love Foundation. HBO has rarely disappointed. Jonathan Nolan though? I know I’m in the minority here, but honestly that guy should be stuck inside a five dimensional movie jail in the middle of a massive black hole for his hand in the ambitious but ultimately kind of terrible Interstellar. On the other hand, perhaps being chained to the material of an author who was the master of Big Sci-Fi Ideas will be just the thing to keep Nolan on the straight and narrow.
Ok, fine. Let’s go with that. I’m going to be optimistic here.
Asimov’s first Foundation novel began life as eight short stories in Astounding Tales Magazine between 1942 and 1950. It introduced the character Hari Seldon who was able to accurately predict the rise and fall of a galactic empire far into the future using a form of mathematics he developed called “psychohistory.”