Be warned, this article contains spoilers for the season 3 finale of Foundation! Apple TV has renewed Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s books, for a fourth season. Although details are scarce, we’re starting to get an idea of what’s to come. While some recent news about Season 4 might seem a little worrying, there’s still plenty to look forward to in the show’s return.
From its debut in 2021, Foundation was a hugely ambitious undertaking. Adapting Isaac Asimov’s complex novels seemed nearly impossible, given the story’s vast scope. But despite a few changes and additions, Foundation has successfully brought the beloved sci-fi series to television with impressive results. The upcoming fourth season aims to continue this success and maintain the show’s high quality.
‘Foundation’ Season 4 Is Confirmed With a New Showrunner
David S. Goyer Is No Longer in Charge
Apple TV
David S. Goyer developed the TV series Foundation and led the show as showrunner and main writer for its first three seasons. Following a production pause due to Apple TV’s budget concerns, Goyer stepped down as showrunner but remained a producer. Bill Bost then took over as showrunner to finish Season 3. Neither Goyer nor Bost will be showrunning the fourth season of Foundation.
For the next season, Foundation will have two showrunners leading the creative direction: Ian Goldberg, known for Fear the Walking Dead, and David Kob, who previously wrote episodes for the show and is now being promoted. While Kob is familiar with the series, Goldberg is new to the project. Though still involved as a producer, original showrunner Michael Goyer will have a less direct role. He’s passed on his overall plan for the show’s story to Goldberg and Kob, and they’re expected to continue following that established direction.
‘Foundation’ Season 4’s Filming Schedule Suggests a 2027 Release
Apple TV
To help reduce expenses, the fourth season of Foundation will be filmed entirely in the Czech Republic – a first for the series. While the Czech Republic has been a major filming location before, previous seasons also utilized other locations. According to The Prague Reporter, filming is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2026, and with over 120 days planned, production is expected to finish in May 2026.
Based on the release dates of past seasons, we can expect Season 4 of Foundation to premiere around 2027, about a year after filming finishes. The show relies heavily on computer-generated imagery, which requires a significant amount of post-production work. However, the show’s stunning visuals have consistently made the wait worthwhile. While the budget has been reduced, the high quality of Season 3’s effects suggests the show will likely maintain its impressive look.
What ‘Foundation’ Season 4 Will Be About
1953’s ‘Second Foundation’ Is the Source Material
Apple TV
The Apple TV series Foundation has expanded on Isaac Asimov’s original stories by adding new characters and plotlines. Despite these changes, the show remains largely faithful to Asimov’s books and, by the end of Season 3, has adapted the first two novels in the series. These include the original Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952), and Second Foundation (1953), which together form the initial trilogy.
Now, the story of Second Foundation is being adapted into a live-action series. Unlike the first adaptation, this one won’t begin with a jump forward in time. Instead, it continues directly after the events of Foundation and Empire. The 1953 novel picked up the story of the Mule immediately where the previous book left off, revealing more about this antagonist. While the show’s version of the Mule differs from the book, Foundation Season 4 will, like its source material, be a direct continuation of the story. Second Foundation does have a significant time jump about halfway through, but it’s currently unknown if the series will include this element.
‘Foundation’ Season 4’s Storyline Preserves Key Members of the Cast
Apple TV
Since the story of Foundation spans hundreds of years, Apple TV needed to find ways to keep the same actors appearing throughout the series. Some characters, like Gaal Dornick and Hari Seldon, have limited roles in the original book and don’t reappear. To keep actors like Cassian Bilton, Lee Pace, and Terrence Mann involved, the show cleverly reimagined Cleon as a series of clones, allowing them to play different iterations of the Empire’s leader. With Season 4 starting without jumps in time, this technique isn’t needed as much.
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In the Season 3 finale, Terrence Mann’s character, Brother Dusk/Darkness, effectively ended the reign of the Cleonic Dynasty, leaving only three clone emperors alive and unable to reproduce. Originally, a time jump into Season 4 would have meant removing three actors from the show. However, the writers are following Isaac Asimov’s approach, which means they’re keeping those actors. This means the author is, in a sense, preserving characters that weren’t actually part of the original story – the clones don’t exist in the source material. Currently, though it hasn’t been officially confirmed, it’s expected that Ben Bilton, Jack Pace, and Terrence Mann will all return for Season 4, continuing their roles from the end of Season 3.
| Potential Foundation Season 4 Cast | |
| Character | Actor |
| Gaal Dornick | Lou Llobell |
| Hari Seldon | Jared Harris |
| Lady Demerzel | Laura Birn |
| Brother Dawn | Cassian Bilton |
| Brother Day | Lee Pace |
| Brother Dusk/Darkness | Terrence Mann |
| Bayta “The Mule” Mallow | Synnøve Karlsen |
| Toran Mallow | Cody Fern |
| Magnifico Giganticus | Tómas Lemarquis |
| Captain Han Pritcher | Brandon P. Bell |
As a big fan of Foundation, I was really relieved to hear they switched the Mule’s identity to Bayta Mallow instead of sticking with Magnifico Giaganticus. It’s a smart move because it means Synnøve Karlsen and Tómas Lemarquis can both come back for Season 4! Honestly, it feels like Season 3 had so many characters coming and going, it was a little hard to keep track of. This change allows the show to really focus on the story and build on the relationships we’ve already started to care about. Asimov’s books had that constantly shifting cast, but for the Apple TV series, it’s great to have some familiar faces around.
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2026-01-02 03:37