Emmerich to Blow Up Asimov’s Foundation Series

Posted by Rob Hunter (rob@filmschoolrejects.com) on January 17, 2009

Isaac Asimov is known for his intelligence, wit, and prolific writing career. He’s written hundreds of books and edited hundreds more. He has books categorized in nine of the ten major sections of the Dewy Decimal System. He’s served on the boards of Mensa International as well as the American Humanist Association. The man even has an asteroid named after him. One of his many varied and successful creations is the Foundation Series, winner of the Hugo Award for “Best Series Ever”… the only time that award has been given.

Roland Emmerich blows shit up.

And his next target appears to be the Foundation Series. Per Variety, Columbia Pictures won an auction for the rights to the series with Emmerich attached as director. Warner Bros. (who seem to be dropping the ball left and right these days) tried to win the project for director Alex Proyas, but came up short against Sony/Columbia.

Emmerich is known for his sci-fi epics, but they’ve been almost exclusively of the brainless variety. “Spectacle over smarts, boom over brains!” is the official tagline of his production company, Centropolis Entertainment. His films are always stupid, often entertaining, and never logical or believable. Needless to say, his pairing with one of Asimov’s most beloved works has a few people up in arms. The series consists of seven books by Asimov (and a handful more from other writers) but there’s no word yet if Emmerich plans to tackle them all, or indeed if more than one film is even planned.

Emmerich’s next project is this summer’s epic Mayan death knell, 2012. Asimov’s next will be to somehow find a way to roll over in his grave. (Difficult as he was cremated, but if anyone can do it…)

Have you read the series? Can Emmerich do them justice?

Read more articles by Rob Hunter