Jonathon Nolan is adapting Foundation.

[The Romulan Republic]

http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/10/7190 ... dation-hbo

Jonathan Nolan, brother of director Christopher Nolan (and co-writer of most of his films, including Interstellar) is turning Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy into an HBO series, according to The Wrap. It's actually his second science fiction adaptation for HBO in development. The first is an adaptation of Michael Crichton's 1973 film Westworld now starring Anthony Hopkins and Evan Rachel Wood (Jonathan co-wrote and directed the pilot).

As noted by The Wrap, Nolan actually talked about Foundation in a recent interview with IndieWire when asked about his favorite piece of science fiction that "people don't know enough about." Here's the now-not-so-subtle tease:

Well, I fucking love the "Foundation" novels by Isaac Asimov — they're certainly not well-known, 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 fucking 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 fucking hair on fire.
Foundation tells the story of mathematician Hari Seldon who can predict the future using algorithms... which, now that I think about it, is an idea that's explored in his other science fiction show, CBS's Person of Interest.

I figure this news will delight a lot of people.

For those who don't know, Jonathon Nolan is the brother of Christopher Nolan and has worked as a co-writer with him.

[Lord Revan]

it could work, I've sadly not read any of the Foundation books so I can't say how easily they could be addapted to TV but Game of Thrones seemed to work pretty well as an adaption and it is made by HBO so it could work.

[The Romulan Republic]

I think I read the initial trilogy when I was in high school. I don't really like it over all. It has a shortage of sympathetic characters and I find the premise horrific. However, I respect the series' impact, and I have a soft spot for Foundation and Empire. And Salvor Hardin from the first book makes for an interesting anti-hero who is worthy of the label magnificent bastard, while the main female protagonist from the third book is a pretty decent female character for such an old book as far as I recall (I read it a long time ago).

I'd actually like to re-read it soon.

[Zor]

I have been listening to the Audiobook versions of it. Good stuff. Hope this turns out well.

Zor

[Guardsman Bass]

I could see this working out. The way the work is written (as well as the subject matter) fits with Nolan's style of film-making.

[The Romulan Republic]

I wonder if there's any chance of Christopher Nolan having some involvement with this as a producer or director or something. He and his brother are known to work together. Though as far as I know Christopher Nolan never directed anything on television and I have a hard time seeing him do it.

Also, this really makes me want to see Interstellar. I was probably going to anyway, but now I want to see it to get a sense of how Jonathon Nolan writes epic science fiction in space.

[Tychu]

I said it years ago when there was a rumor that there will be a movie. But they have to cast the guy that played Ric Ollie as the pilot who brings Seldon to Trantor. He has to say the line; "that's Trantor, the whole planet is one big city"!

[SpottedKitty]

Well, I fucking love the "Foundation" novels by Isaac Asimov — they're certainly not well-known,

"Not well known"...? Oh, my aching head. Maybe the original trilogy hasn't been in print continuously for the last sixty years (yes, that old; and they were separate stories in SF magazines for many years before), but I've usually spotted them in any bookshops that actually have an SF section.

OK, I'm at least intrigued. Hope they do a good job, it isn't always easy for modern audiences to "get" those Golden Age yarns, tastes have changed so much. Fingers crossed...

[The Romulan Republic]

You misattributed that quote. It wasn't me who said that.

[Batman]

You were the one who posted it though, and given how finicky the quote function can be...

And I'm...let's call it 'wary'. I don't see the mostly episodic format of the core trilogy translating well to the movie format (especially with current Hollywood and the series' abundance of no bigass space battles). I wouldn't be particularly surprised if we get something that has about as much in common with the source material as the 'Starship Troopers' movies (yes, I'm afraid there were several).

[The Romulan Republic]

You apparently don't realize that this is about making Foundation into a TV series.

Edit: That means an episodic format is an asset.

[Havok]

Well, I fucking love the "Foundation" novels by Isaac Asimov — they're certainly not well-known,

"Not well known"...? Oh, my aching head. Maybe the original trilogy hasn't been in print continuously for the last sixty years (yes, that old; and they were separate stories in SF magazines for many years before), but I've usually spotted them in any bookshops that actually have an SF section.

I've never heard of them. I think I may have heard people on SDN refer to them but that is it.

[Jub]

I've never heard of them. I think I may have heard people on SDN refer to them but that is it.

They aren't long reads and you local library should carry them. I found at least the first book (I got side tracked before reading the others) enjoyable so it might be worth a browse if you have the time.

[Elheru Aran]

Mind you, they do suffer from one of Asimov's signature flaws... his characters are all very talkative. There's not a whole lot of action to speak of until the later books. The original 'Foundation' novel, IIRC-- something happens, Hari Seldon blathers on about how this is all part of his plan, something else happens, rinse and repeat. Makes you wonder how Seldon had any time away from filming monologues on all the crap he predicted.

[J Ryan]

I think your main issue with converting Foundation into a series if you play anywhere close to the books is the timescale involved. There were 50 or so years between crises, so have a couple of them and you'll be expecting the audience to learn whole new characters for every crises. Relatively easy in a book, but in a series with paid actors and such not really achievable. Trying to condense the story so you have one set of actors would ruin the whole pacing of the story. This is after all a book about the gradual decline of an empire and rise of it's replacement.

[Elheru Aran]

That's another thing about it. Things take place over something like a couple thousand years. You would want there to be at least some transition between 'episodes' so viewers aren't totally lost.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

If you film a lot of what were background incidents in the books- some of the actual decline and fall of the galactic empire- it could be done. It wasn't particularly gradual, to go by some of Hober Mallow's adventures- "He wasn't the first provincial governor to aim for the purple, and if he had won he wouldn't have been the first to succeed, either...then Siwenna itself rebelled against its rebel viceroy." That bit. The breakup of the periphery that leaves Terminus stranded. The disasters and shambles that a crumbling empire leaves behind it.

There is a wealth of filmable material in the background of the future, the parts that Asimov obviously knew would be there but because it was not the sort of thing he wanted and liked to write did not touch on directly. (Battle scenes, not so much. Sex scenes dubious, romance godawful. Corny puns? Right in there. He got the fanbase he had from the big ideas, not his style or characterisation.)

It couldn't be done as written, not this generation, probably not this millennium. But it probably could be done well, with a lot of fleshing out between the lines. Put me down for one vote of cautious optimism.

[The Romulan Republic]

Mind you, they do suffer from one of Asimov's signature flaws... his characters are all very talkative. There's not a whole lot of action to speak of until the later books. The original 'Foundation' novel, IIRC-- something happens, Hari Seldon blathers on about how this is all part of his plan, something else happens, rinse and repeat. Makes you wonder how Seldon had any time away from filming monologues on all the crap he predicted.

As I recall, even the first book has a gripping sequence with a bit of action when Salvor Hardin plays a trick on that invading civilization.

I think your main issue with converting Foundation into a series if you play anywhere close to the books is the timescale involved. There were 50 or so years between crises, so have a couple of them and you'll be expecting the audience to learn whole new characters for every crises. Relatively easy in a book, but in a series with paid actors and such not really achievable. Trying to condense the story so you have one set of actors would ruin the whole pacing of the story. This is after all a book about the gradual decline of an empire and rise of it's replacement.

I think Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation mainly focus on one group of characters each. And even in the first book, Salvor Hardin's story stands out and could be made the focus of an adaptation.

[Traveller]

I dont see this going anywhere really, even with someone as capable as Nolan is. Look at the mess hollywood made of I, Robot. (besides the title, absolutely nothing to do with Asimov's novel). Foundation itself, I just don't see it as very TV\Movie friendly. Like most of Asimov's work, it tends to more well, cerebral and slow-moving. My opinion of his foundation series now, is I find it somewhat plodding, even a little dull in places. I still like the series, but it would not be my first choice for a novel-to-movie. There is far better out there. Foundation(series) is interesting yes, but that does not mean foundations premise and storyline will translate well to to live action. Of course, he can always end up doing what I, Robot did, ditch the entire story(make an entirely new one) and keep the title, banking on Asimovs name to do the heavy lifting.

[The Romulan Republic]

Actually, I, Robot took a bit besides the title from Asimov's books. Like the whole laws of robotics thing that was key to the plot. And I don't get why that movie is so hated other than typical fan whinging that amounts to "Its new so its bad" and people jumping on the bandwagon.

[Batman]

Offhand, I'd say it was the whole 'Robots can break the laws of robotics and actually kill' thing, especially the first one that got people riled (which is idiotic, half of Asimov's Robot stories were about how the three (later four) laws could be subverted, manipulated, and interpreted).

[The Romulan Republic]

I thought the villain in I, Robot was not so much breaking the laws (in its mind) as reinterpreting them. Ie kill a few humans to impose a new society that will save lives.

[Batman]

That's why I said it's idiotic.

[The Romulan Republic]

I, Robot seems to get a lot of criticism it doesn't deserve. Its not a great classic by any means, but it wasn't really bad.

[Irbis]

(especially with current Hollywood and the series' abundance of no bigass space battles)

Wait, you mean Foundation lacks battles and action scenes? Did I get that right?

IIRC, there are literally dozens of scenes with implied or literal battles in the Trilogy. Even first book, calmest of the three, has warlord about to attack Foundation, with whole scene discussing his battle fleet, even mentioning how awesome one pre-Fall battleship is. Book 2 and 3 are set among period of continuous heavy warfare. How can anyone infer lack of action from that I have no idea.

They totally need to make Bel Riose into Tywin Lannister in SPACE! It will be the most epic thing ever

Even breather sections offer a lot of opportunity for tension. Hober Mallow is thinking Han Solo, Salvor Hardin master manipulator, hunt for Second Foundation good detective story or thriller, depending on take. IMHO, the series is easily filmable, easier than GoT and look what HBO did with it.

I think your main issue with converting Foundation into a series if you play anywhere close to the books is the timescale involved. There were 50 or so years between crises, so have a couple of them and you'll be expecting the audience to learn whole new characters for every crises. Relatively easy in a book, but in a series with paid actors and such not really achievable.

Why not? You can do time shift every half season with aged, old character from previous story arc introducing new ones. You wouldn't even need that many actors, much less than GoT did. Regular series can shift actors in or out constantly, why not this one?

Like most of Asimov's work, it tends to more well, cerebral and slow-moving. My opinion of his foundation series now, is I find it somewhat plodding, even a little dull in places.

Only because Asimov skipped most action scenes describing them with 2-3 sentences. This gives director carte blanche to make space battle or escape from enemy planet into whatever he wants, without fans of series whining Elf #54335 had blue cloak in the book, not green one, and the series is now totally ruined due to that (see Tolkien adaptations).

There is far better out there.

Like what?