Foundation season 3: everything we know about the Apple TV Plus sci-fi show's return
Foundation season 3: key information
- Officially confirmed in December 2023
- Filming reportedly began in May 2023 before being shut down due to the Hollywood strikes
- Filming delayed in early February before restarting in mid-February
- David S. Goyer reportedly replaced as its showrunner
- No trailer available yet
- Key cast members likely to return
- Actor who briefly played The Mule in season 2 won't return to play the main villain in season 3
- No confirmed plot details
- Likely to draw from Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation and Empire' and 'Second Foundation' books
- No word on future installments
Foundation season 3 has, to be blunt, endured a tempestuous development cycle. The critically-acclaimed Apple sci-fi series was only officially greenlit in December 2023, but it's been beset by problems ever since.
To get the lowdown on what's been troubling it, you'll need to read our guide's release date and cast sections. As you do so, you'll learn even more about Foundation's third season ahead of its Apple TV Plus debut, too, including where we think its story will go next and whether one of the best Apple TV Plus shows will return for more seasons after its next chapter.
Full spoilers follow for Foundation season 2. Potential spoilers are also discussed for Foundation season 3 next and Isaac Asimov's books of the same name.
Foundation season 3 release date speculation
It doesn't have a launch date, but Foundation season 3 was confirmed to be in the works in December 2023.
Speaking exclusively to TechRadar in June 2023, Goyer and some of the cast declined to comment on speculation about Foundation season 3's rumored renewal. Weeks before we spoke to Foundation's showrunner and cast, The Prague Reporter suggested principal photography had started in May.
The start of 2024 didn't prove to be a happy new year for the show's next entry. Firstly, on February 7, Foundation season 3 faced an agonizing filming delay amid multiple issues, including apparent disputes over its budget. Less than two weeks later, things seemed rosy again, with principal photography starting up again on Apple's flagship sci-fi series.
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Unfortunately, Foundation season 3 faced further turmoil later that same month, with reports suggesting co-creator David S. Goyer was no longer overseeing work on this season following apparent clashes with Apple over the aforementioned production budget. Bill Bost supposedly replaced Goyer as creator-in-chief, despite Goyer retaining the titles of showrunner, head writer, and executive producer.
With all of that taken into account, it'll come as no shock to learn that season 3 won't be with us before 2024 ends. Even if things were looking good, Goyer previously revealed – in a behind-the-scenes featurette on Apple TV Plus' YouTube channel – that one season takes two years to make. If season 3's production progresses along a similar timeline, it wouldn't have arrived before early 2025 even without its troubled production. That's because, in Goyer's words, post-production takes a whole year to complete so, even if filming wraps this year, it could be mid- to late 2025 before it's released.
Foundation season 3 cast speculation
Major spoilers follow for Foundation season 2.
Here's who we expect to see in Foundation season 3:
Jared Harris as Hari Seldon
Lee Pace as Brother Day
Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
Laura Birn as Demerzel
Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk
Pilou Asbaek as The Mule
Alexander Siddig as Doctor Ebling Mis
Troy Kotsur as Preem Palver
The first six actors have played major roles in Foundation so far, so they'll definitely be back. Persbrandt's The Mule made brief cameo appearances in season 2, so he was expected to reprise his role as one of season 3's villains. However, in March, it was reported that Foundation's creative team had hired Game of Thrones alumnus Pilou Asbaek to play The Mule instead. No reason has been given for Persbrandt's departure.
Other season 2 characters could feature next time out, including Ella Rae Smith's Queen Sareth, Isabella Laughland's Brother Constant, Kulvinder Ghir as Poly Verisof, Oliver Chris as Director Sermak, and Dino Fleischer as Glawyn Curr. As we noted in our Foundation season 2 ending explained article, though, season 3 will likely be set 150 years in the future. If Foundation features another big time jump, none of these characters are likely to be alive. Well, unless the Vault – the giant 4D structure they're housed in – affects the flow of time within its walls, meaning they could age more slowly or not at all.
One major character who definitely won't return is Leah Harvey's Salvor Hardin, who sacrificed herself to save Gaal in 'Creation Myths', aka season 2's final episode. Foundation's universe has the potential to bring people back from the dead – we're looking at you, Hari – but, considering Salvor was cremated, she's officially dead and gone. Harvey seemingly confirmed her time with Foundation was over in November 2023.
Other season 2 characters killed off in the final two episodes were Ben Daniels' General Bel Riose, Dimitri Leonidas' Hober Mallow, Rachel House's Tellem Bond, and Sandra Yi Sencindiver's Enjoiner Rue, so don't expect this quartet to return, either.
Lastly, we can expect new characters to debut next season. In a statement released alongside season 3's announcement, Goyer teased the arrival of "fan-favorites Bayta, Toran, Ebling, and Magnifico Giganticus". Deadline has already broken the news that Alexander Siddig (Shantaram) is one of the series' new regulars, but he won't portray one of these characters. Instead, he'll play Doctor Ebling Mis, a self-taught psychohistorian and alleged die-hard fan of Hari Seldon's. Variety also claims Troy Kotsure (CODA) has signed on to play Preem Palver, who'll be the leader of the psychic race, known as Mentalics, who Hari, Gaal, and Salvor encountered in season 2.
Foundation season 3 plot speculation
Major spoilers follow for Foundation season 2.
Understandably, plot details are thin on the ground – and that'll remain the case until Apple says so. For now, we can only speculate on what might happen in Foundation season 3.
Our aforementioned season 2 ending explainer takes a look at the possible storylines and subplots that could make up its successor's narrative, so read that article for more on what the season 2 finale might have set up. If you don't want to click away from this page, though, we'll give you an in-depth, spoiler-filled breakdown from this point on.
Let's start with the Galactic Empire. Season 2's incarnations of its three Emperors – Dawn, Day, and Dusk, all clones of Cleon I – are no longer sitting on the throne (or thrones, if you will). Day suffocated in space, Dusk was killed by Demerzel, and Dawn fled with Queen Sareth after Demerzel threatened to execute Sareth for her alleged failed assassination attempt on Day in season 2's opening episode.
As we now know, it was Demerzel who hired the Blind Angels to murder Day. He wanted to marry Sareth and father his own children, which would've ended the Cleonic dynasty. This plan went against the directives Cleon I gave Demerzel – remember, she's a robot – centuries earlier, which included maintaining that blood line. Long story short: Demerzel planned to set up Sareth as Day's would-be murderer and execute her to preserve the status quo.
With season 2's Emperors deceased or on the run, Demerzel has been forced to decant new versions of all three clones – something she's never had to do before. It's unclear what short-term impact this'll have on the Empire, but, with the unflappable Demerzel to guide them, the new clones should be up and running in no time. That said, given season 3 may be set over a century later, we'll see new iterations of all three Emperors next time out, not the ones glimpsed in season 2's penultimate scene.
Read our exclusive Foundation season 2 coverage
- Foundation season 2 premiere review
- Foundation season 2 isn't trying to be Apple's version of Star Wars
- Power struggle: inside Foundation season 2's internal and external fight for supremacy
- Exclusive Foundation season 2 clip teases an intense space battle Star Wars would be proud of
That's not the only wildcard Demerzel has at her disposal. In season 2 episode 9, aka 'Long Ago, Not Far Away', the Vault-based version of Hari Seldon – you didn't forget there were two of him, did you? – tried to show Demerzel how to operate the Prime Radiant. Essentially a data storage device, the Prime Radiant contains all of Hari's psychohistory-based math, which is being used to help guide humanity through its darkest age yet.
The Prime Radiant also exists in a state of supposition, allowing it to exist in two places at once. That means the living Hari (the one working with Gaal) possesses one and, unfortunately for the Foundation, the other is in Demerzel's hands. Once she can read Hari's math, she'll be able to manipulate it and attempt to stop Hari and company from bringing down the Empire.
Speaking of the Vault, 'Creation Myths' revealed that the mysterious 4D structure survived the destruction of Terminus. Not only that, it sheltered the world's population – i.e. those involved in the titular Foundation – from their planet's annihilation at the Empire's hands. The Vault-based Hari explained as much when the Vault picked up Brother Constant, who was the sole survivor of the Empire's Shining Destiny warship's own demolition. We're unsure when we'll see the Vault again, but we expect it to continue playing a big role in Foundation's overarching plot.
The survival of Terminus' Foundation will surprise the Galactic Empire, but that's not the only thing it'll have to contend with.
For starters, Dawn and Sareth's absconsion is a worrying prospect – Sareth is pregnant with Dawn's child, meaning their firstborn has a claim to the Empire's throne. With Foundation season 3 expected to jump ahead 150 years, it's more likely we'll see their child's next of kin make a play for the royal seat if this particular narrative is part of the series' wider narrative plan. In the second half of 'Foundation and Empire', the second novel in Asismov's Foundation book trilogy, the Empire is engulfed by civil war. This plot point could be adapted for a showdown between Dawn and Sareth's bloodline and the Cleonic dynasty.
Elsewhere, Gaal and Hari's successful recruitment of the Mentalics, a race with psychic abilities, means the Foundation is stronger than ever. Add the Mentalics to the Foundation's seven planetary bodies, plus the Empire losing the ability to hyperjump – the genetically engineered Spacers are no longer enslaved by them – and the playing field looks much more level than it did in Foundation's first episode.
Hari, Gaal, and company shouldn't expect to walk all over the Empire now, however. As well as the tyrannical leaders' grip on the galaxy, the future emergence of The Mule – a powerful Mentalic who begins conquering worlds in Asmiov's book series – could give rise to the Third Seldon Crisis.
These crises are fixed points in humanity's existence that determine whether the Foundation succeeds or fails. So far, the Foundation has navigated two potential calamities: surviving in the galaxy's outer reaches and bypassing a full-blown war with the Empire.
The Mule, though, looks like he'll pose the biggest threat – and that's saying something – to the Foundation's existence yet. To combat him, Gaal and Hari have entered cryosleep on the Mentalics' sanctuary of Ignis. That way, they can be reawakened when The Mule shows up and help lead the fight against him. The rest of the Mentalics will hone their abilities and learn about psychohistory in the interim 150-year period so they're ready to battle The Mule and his forces when the time comes.
Foundation season 3 trailer: is there one?
No. Once a Foundation season 3 teaser is released, we'll update this section.
Will Foundation season 3 get a follow-up season?
If Foundation season 3 is received as well as its predecessors, Apple should renew it for a fourth outing. By the time season 3 ends, the show will have only covered the first two main novels in Asimov's book series – 'Foundation' and 'Foundation & Empire', plus the first half of the third novel titled 'Second Foundation'. There are two prequel novels and two sequel books that expand on Foundation's unique universe, too, so there's plenty more ground for the TV series to cover.
Ahead of the first season's launch, Goyer (per Decider) revealed he had given Apple an eight-season outline for Foundation's TV adaptation. The show has deviated somewhat from the story told in Asimov's books so, alongside adapting parts from the wider source material, Goyer and company could tell a more complete narrative in the seasons to come.
As long as Foundation continues to draw in a big enough audience to justify its financial outlay, Apple should continue to bankroll its development. Of course, much also depends on the issues that have plagued Foundation season 3, so it's possible Apple might decide to alter any future season plans and either truncate Goyer's eight-installment plan, or cancel the show after three seasons. Stay tuned for more when we have it.
For more Apple TV Plus-based coverage, read our Apple TV Plus review, our guide on the best Apple TV Plus movies, or everything we know about Severance season 2.
