The big-budget sc-i-fi show Foundation season 3 has been confirmed to be returning at some point soon, even as behind-the-scenes drama affects its production.
Foundation is an epic Apple TV Plus series about a powerful galactic empire whose demise is imminent, and the scientists, adventurers and colonists who try to create a faction (the Foundation) that'll outlast the oncoming dark age.
Foundation season 2 came out in 2023 and while a third season has been confirmed (and apparently a fourth is in the works, with a new showrunner), several delays have hit production according to various rumors. Apparently the 2023 writers' strike slowed it down while the departure of its showrunner during post-production and budget issues have caused some to wonder what's going on with season 3. But it sounds like the show is back on track and we're hoping to hear news of a release date soon.
Here's how to watch Foundation if you haven't seen it, and we'd recommend doing so, as it's an exciting and twisty series. Sci-fi fans will enjoy the varied worlds, creatures and spaceships of the franchise, and you can appreciate them more through an interview we conducted with the show's visual effects supervisor here.
And once you're caught up on your watching and your reading, here's what we know about Foundation season 3, and what we can speculate on based on its announcement.
Foundation season 3 release date
When Apple renewed Foundation for its third season, it didn't specify a release date for the returning sow. However there's reason to believe that it could be quite a way away.
Foundation debuted in September 2021, was renewed a month later and returned in July 2023, so new seasons seem to take about two years to come out — and that's without considering the recent writers' and actors' strikes.
That's not all: according to a Deadline report, production on the third season of Foundation has begun and stopped twice now. First was in mid-2023, and after a third of the season was shot, the strikes occurred. Second was in February 2024, with "issues with budgeting and physical production" causing the cast and crew to be sent home.
So it's hard to imagine that Foundation season 3 will hit the two-year schedule and be out in 2025, though it's not impossible. Look to late 2025 or 2026 for its release.
Foundation season 3 plot
In part, Foundation season 3 will pick up after the events of Foundation season 2 episode 10. Without wanting to dive too deep into spoiler territory, that ended with a century-wide time jump, which is also how season 1 ended, into a new era for the Empire and Foundation.
However showrunner David S. Goyer confirmed some extra plot details for the upcoming season when the show was renewed.
"This time, the stakes for Foundation and Empire are even higher as the Mule takes center stage, along with fan-favorites Bayta, Toran, Ebling and Magnifico Giganticus"
The Mule was set up as a future antagonist in season 2 but those other names are all characters from the source material (Isaac Asimov's Foundation series) who so far haven't shown up in the show (with one caveat, that book readers will already know and TV show watchers shouldn't have spoiled for them!).
The first season of Foundation had only loose ties to Asimov's stories, and while the second was more in line with them (and seemingly the third will too), we can't rely on the novels as a way to predict the plot as they're already too disparate.
Foundation season 3 cast
No cast has been announced for Foundation season 3 just yet, but we've no reason to believe that the main cast won't be back. Plus, Foundation often brings back characters we've already seen or herad die, either for scenes set in the past or as dreams, projections or something else entirely. So anyone could return!
Here's the important cast of Foundation season 2, for context. We're keeping in characters who died, just in case you haven't watched it yet!
- Jared Harris as Dr. Hari Soldon
- Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
- Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin
- Lee Pace as Brother Day
- Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk
- Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
- Laura Birn as Demerzel
- Ella-Rae Smith as Queen Sareth
- Isabella Laughland as Brother Constant
- Kulvinder Ghir as Poly Verisof
- Dimitri Leonidas as Hober Mallow
- Ben Daniels as Bel Rios
In addition, Mikael Persbrandt played The Mule in select episodes, and he'll likely be promoted to the main cast list for season 3.
Joining those names will be actors playing the aforementioned new characters including Bayta, Toran, Ebling and Magnifico Giganticus, and we'll update this article when new casting information is provided.
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