- The cast of Foundation have offered their thoughts on season 4 rumors
- A February 2025 report claimed another installment had been secretly greenlit
- Apple hasn’t confirmed if its highly-rated space opera series will return
The cast of Foundation have responded to rumors that the Apple TV Original has been renewed for a fourth season.
Earlier this year, Deadline claimed Apple had secretly greenlit Foundation season 4 and that Ian Goldberg, who helmed seasons 4 to 8 of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, had been hired as its new showrunner. Goldberg will reportedly replace the show’s co-creator David S Goyer, who is believed to have stepped back as Foundation‘s showrunner in February 2024.
However, speaking to TechRadar ahead of Foundation season 3‘s release on July 11, Jared Harris and Lou Llobell admitted they had no idea if the sci-fi epic would be back for another season. Llobell, though, added she was “hopeful” that the Apple TV+ series would not return for season 4, but also complete the eight-season plan that was initially conceived by Goyer.
“I probably know less than you because you’re scouring the trades every day,” Harris replied when I asked him about that season 4 renewal rumor, “You know more about it than I do. I’m just an actor told everything. We’re the last people to find out what’s going on!”
“If that’s true, I’m going to be so excited,” Llobell added when I put the same question to her in a separate interview. “I’m hopeful, but who knows. If it gets that far [Foundation running for eight seasons], we would be so lucky.”
Why Foundation will be lucky to reach its endgame on Apple TV+
If Foundation‘s eight-season outline is realized, it would be a huge victory for one of the best Apple TV+ shows‘ cast and crew.
Currently, British spy thriller series Slow Horses is the only Apple TV Original to go beyond four seasons. Slow Horses season 5 is due out in September and, with seasons 6 and 7 already in development, it’ll be the longest-running series that the tech giant’s entertainment division has ever produced.
Other programs haven’t been so fortunate on Apple TV+ or its streaming rivals. The Wheel of Time is the most notable series to be axed ahead of its time, with the high-fantasy series being canceled after three seasons on Prime Video. Many of the world’s best streaming services have also pulled the plug on fan-favorite shows due to costs, low viewing figures, poor critical reception, or a combination of all three.
With Foundation already suffering off-camera issues and casting shake-ups during season 3’s development, it’ll be interesting to see if Apple funds future seasons. Like Llobell, I hope it does, but, in such a cut-throat era were shows have to exceed expectations to be renewed, there’s no guarantee this absorbing space opera will run for eight seasons.
Do you think Foundation will get a fourth season? And does it deserve to tell its complete story over eight seasons? Let me know in the comments.