Apple TV+ announced this morning in a press release that its sci fi series Foundation will be returning for a third season. The streamer refers to the series as a “global hit” and claims that it “has been hailed as ‘the gold standard for all science fiction programming'”. While the second season did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Rankings, it did score well with critics and viewers, currently holding a 100% Fresh Rating and 78% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. And despite the fact that it has not ranked in the viewership charts, word is that this show is not as expensive as some of the other mega-dollar streaming originals, despite its extensive use of special effects, making it more viable for the streamer. Showrunner David S. Goyer had the following to say about the renewal:
I’m thrilled Apple has given us the opportunity to continue chronicling Asimov’s pioneering galactic saga. 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.
He currently has an eight-year plan for the series which is ambitious for a streaming series, but Apple TV+ has been supportive of its originals. Even if the show does not stick around that long, they should give it the chance to wrap up its storylines unless the Peak TV Crunch starts to take its toll on the service. The third season of Foundation will likely premiere late 2024 or early 2025.
This renewal counts back to the 2022-23 season and brings the score for that year to 42 renewed sci fi and fantasy entries (47% of shows tracked) vs. 43 cancelled and ended (48%). You can see the breakdown of the numbers and the full list of shows for the current and prior seasons at our Cancellation Watch Page.
Foundation follows a group of exiles as they set up an interstellar Foundation designed to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire. It also focuses on the actions of Brother Day (the middle-aged member of the Imperial Triumvirate) as he tries to hold onto power while the Empire crumbles. It stars Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, and Cassian Bilton and it is based on the celebrated book series by Isaac Asimov.
We are already several months into the 2023-24 season and there are plenty more cancellation and renewal announcements on the way. You can see the status of all this season’s shows at this link. And be sure to follow this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for updates and breaking news.
Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV
Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.
