Skip to main content

Foundation TV show creator isn't interested in your wild Star Wars comparisons

Foundation isn't trying to become Apple TV Plus' version of Star Wars, according to showrunner David S. Goyer.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar during Foundation season 2's press day, the creative head of Apple's big-budget TV series played down suggestions that it was trying to copy Star Wars in any shape or form.

Foundation, which is based on Isaac Asimov's seminal (but convoluted) book series of the same name, is actually considered as a key inspiration behind the development of Lucasfilm's legendary sci-fi franchise. Comparisons between the two, then, have been part of the cultural zeitgeist since Star Wars: A New Hope burst into theaters worldwide in 1977. 

However, since Foundation's TV adaptation made its Apple TV Plus debut in November 2021, viewers have been quick to point out the similarities between the two properties. Some have gone as far as to say that, despite Foundation preceding its genre sibling by almost three decades, it's actually trying to replicate Star Wars' movie-based success on the small screen (NB: Star Wars has also made the hyperdrive jump to the TV show realm with its slate of Disney Plus shows in recent years).

Brother Day and Brother Dusk chat on a balcony in Foundation season 2

"Brother Day, what do you make of those pesky Star Wars and Star Trek comparisons?" (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

The likeness between the two has only become more pertinent since the release of Foundation season 2's numerous trailers, too. The first official trailer, which revealed the forthcoming season's release date, appeared to suggest the second season was taking its cues from another iconic sci-fi series in Star Trek. Less than a month later, Foundation season 2's second, lengthy trailer showed off the interstellar war that'll form its next installment. Again, fans were quick to draw parallels between Apple's underrated TV show and its two sci-fi siblings, particularly from a galactic warfare perspective.

So, I asked Goyer for his thoughts on those inevitable comparisons, and whether they were a blessing or a curse for his visually arresting (but expensive) TV series. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Goyer was unequivocal in how he felt over the resemblance between Foundation and its more well-known colleagues.

“Take nothing away from those franchises, but we try to steer away from those franchises as much as we can,” he said. “For starters, we try to make our form of space travel different. We also film at least half of our show on location, not in the Volume or against LED screens. Everything from the color palette to our depiction of holograms, we’ve tried to chart our own path and be as visually distinct as possible. Hopefully, audiences will see those differences and realize this is a wholly unique galaxy.”

Lee Pace's Brother Day points his finger at Jared Harris' Hari Seldon's AI construct in Foundation season 2

"Look, Hari, we're not trying to be like Star Wars or Star Trek, okay?" (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

In spite of what audiences worldwide think or say, then, Foundation isn't attempting to become the next Star Wars or Star Trek. Of course, the analogous nature of their visuals, narratives, themes, and terminology – Foundation and Star Wars' bad guys are both referred to as The Galactic Empire – means the comparisons tag will be a hard one for the Apple TV show to shake.

As Goyer says, though, there are slight nuances between the duo and Star Trek, and the series' creator hopes that viewers begin to notice those subtle differences as Foundation season 2 progresses. If not, Goyer and company can bask in the knowledge that, as a book-based property Foundation came first – and nobody can say otherwise.

TechRadar will be bringing you even more exclusive Foundation coverage in the lead-up to, and in and around, season 2's release on Friday, July 14. In the meantime, catch up on all of our season 1 episode recaps, beginning with Foundation episode 1 (which is free to watch on YouTube right now). Alternatively, check out one of these five other sci-fi sagas before its second season airs.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TechRadar's Year in Review: AI revolution, smartphone evolution, and visions of the future

If I had to sum up 2023 in one word it would be AI. Okay, technically that’s two initials, but let’s not quibble – because there’s no doubt that it provided the year in tech with its main story arc. Artificial intelligence was everywhere this year, as every company in the world gawped at the massive impact of ChatGPT, and decided they wanted to jump aboard that bandwagon. You could barely move for new chatbots, new image generators, and new AI-enhanced features in every device released in 2023. And there’s no sign of that changing in 2024; in fact, we expect it to be an even bigger deal. Elsewhere, phones and laptops did much the same as they had the previous year – well, except where they had new AI-enhanced features – so it was in the virtual reality space where bigger changes were afoot. If the Meta Quest 3 was impressive then the Apple Vision Pro looks to be genuinely game-changing, and we can’t wait to see what impact it has in the next 12 months. Of course we also saw plenty ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Microsoft and Sony enter "binding agreement" to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation

Microsoft has announced that it has reached a "binding agreement" with Sony, pledging to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.  With Microsoft having won its anti-trust case with the US Federal Trade Commission , its planned acquisition of Call of Duty developers Activision Blizzard has taken a big step closer to becoming a reality. In order to alleviate the concerns of monopoly-building that got Microsoft in legal hot water to begin with, the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, announced yesterday via Tweet that it has entered into an "agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation."  This agreement will no doubt come as a relief to fans concerned that Microsoft's acquisition plans might result in Call of Duty becoming an Xbox exclusive, following in the footsteps of future Bethesda releases. Since Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda caused the studio to break its tradition of offering titles cross-platform for upcomi...
Post a Comment
Read more

This Stardew Valley-like farming sim plays at the bottom of your screen so you work and play at the same time

Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing are among some of the best choices out there if you're looking for a game to get swept up in for hours at a time. But, if you're a fan of management sims and a multitasker as well, this upcoming farming sim will likely pique your interest.  Developed by Mister Morris Games, Rusty's Retirement is an idle-farming simulation game that runs at the bottom of your gaming monitor, allowing you to focus on other tasks like working while you tend to your crops. Set to release in Q1 2024 on Steam , the idle sim puts you in the shoes of a wholesome robot as you grow crops and use them to produce clean and energy-efficient biofuel. Having gathered this "vital robot power source," you'll then need to sell your harvest to the other machine inhabitants of your settlement. This, in turn, will let you reinvest the money into expanding your farm. If you're a terrible procrastinator (like me) this might not sound like your cup of tea...
Post a Comment
Read more