Director Roland Emmerich will bring Issac Asimov’s classic science-fiction novel, “Foundation” to the big-screen according to Variety. Columbia Pictures won an auction Thursday for the screen rights to the first novel in the series and is looking to develop the property for Emmerich to direct.
Emmerich has previously directed other big-budget sci-fi epics like “Independence Day,” “Godzilla,” “Stargate” and “Universal Solider.”
Purchasing the rights to the Foundation saga set Columbia back in the six to seven figure range according to reports.
Originally published as a series of eight short stories in Astounding Magazine beginning in 1942, “Foundation” is a complex saga about humans who are scattered on planets throughout the galaxy, living under the rule of the Galactic Empire.
A psycho-historian who can scientifically read the future sees an imminent empire collapse, and sets to work preparing to save the knowledge of mankind.
Columbia Pictures and Emmerich getting into the bidding for “Foundation” comes as a bit of a surprise to many in Hollywood. “Foundation” was originally developed by Fox and producer Vince Gerardis, found its way to New Line, and then to Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne as the first major project announcement after the former heads of New Line formed Unique Pictures at WB.
Columbia’s coming into the picture is a direct result of the dispute of “Watchmen” between 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers.
Oh crap – another classic novel is going to get butchered….
NOOOOOOOOOOO! Not Roland “Size Does Matter” Emmerich. Please, please, nearly anyone (except Uwe Boll) would respect the original material more than Emmerich.
Oh, I’m going to go home and sulk, now.
Oh my lord…. the same guy that directed such masterpieces as Godzilla and Universal Soldier….
I promise not to start brain hemorrhaging, but couldn’t we get someone who does epic films, like Scorsese?
Personally, I’m a fan of Roland Emmerich’s work and have no cause to worry about how he will approach “Foundation” I’v always found his films to have a nice balance of action and human drama, something Michael Bay could stand to learn from.
I think Roger Corman using his budgets from his independent movie days of the 1970’s would do a better job than just about anybody else in Hollywood right now. After “Cloverfield” I’m not sure if J.J. Abrams could do the “Foundation” novels jusitce or not. The test to see if J.J. could do these novels justice premieres in theatres on May 8th and my comment on J.J. will either be changed or reaffirmed depending on how well the movie is (and I don’t mean box office numbers). It would also be nice if they could find someone to do the “Robot” books properly since they botched it with “I, Robot” a few years ago.
Oh, one other thing and I know the reaction from other fans but the first novel of The Foundation series (not technically a novel) was not the best in the series. I think “Prelude To Foundation” & “Forward The Foundation” are tied for the best. Personally while Issac Asimov didn’t write about space battles but rathered implied they happend off the page I would really like to see a space battle or two.
@Jason,
The prequels were the best? I must disagree with you.
@ The story,
This is disheartening news. And not just because it’s from the guy that gave us 10,000B.C. No, it’s because “Foundation” worked in ways that only a novel could. It has no action, no romance, no real characterization. It is pure plot, and despite the lack of all these things, it worked brilliantly, because the plot was so strong as to carry us along. A literal movie would be boring as hell, and so we will get The Day After Tomorrow, only in space. It’s sad.
Oh, hell. No way this book isn’t going to get butchered. I can see it now,a girlfriend, cute kid, and probably even a pet added.
I am really interested to see a take on the emblem of the empire. I wish Asimov had actually come up with a design, sigh.
“Oh crap” is right. This is going to be terrible. The only movie of his I like is ‘Independence Day’ and thaat butcher a classic and was meant to be pure fun.
What is it with Hollywood? What makes so many think they can do a science fiction film, and foul up classic material so badly? You can’t film FOUNDATION! And if you do, it would require the viewing audience to think –most of it does not, and objects to being made to do so. Good grief. Another I, ROBOT. I’m going to go somewhere and cry now …