Asimov's Foundation Trilogy.... the movie?

[Dover]

I wish there was a filmmakers forum to post this in. I'm just thinking and questioning out loud and don't really expect an answer...

I am wondering why no one has ever made a film of this amazing 'scifi' trilogy. And I don't mean the usual Hollywood treatment that crams as many stars into it as possible. But a really serious epic. Does anyone know if such a project has been broached by producers/filmmakers? Surely it has.
I am just aching to see this on film.

If you've never read the book(s), get thee to a bookstore immediately.

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. Maybe x-post this in the SciFi Forum?

:hi:

[Dover]

2. Oh okay...thanks! Didn't know there was a sci-fi forum...n/t

[ismnotwasm]

3. It's been a long time

I think I'll go for a reread. Thank for the reminder. (I have no idea why a movie wasn't made)

[Dragonfli]

4. You would only be disappointed

I don't believe that epic could be made small enough for such a media.
Unless perhaps a psycohistorian were brought in to plot a trajectory from the current state of the genre. ;-)

[Dover]

5. hehehe...

It is rather expansive...

But if they can make Lord Of The Rings, they can make this trilogy. I think its time has come
and would be a HUGE hit IF they were faithful to the book and didn't succumb to Hollywood protocol and personalities (with a few exceptions...like Anthony Hopkins). The NEW world depicted by Asimov deserves and requires unfamiliar, new faces.

[johnaries]

6. I read recently that there is one in the works.

I'll try and find a link.

Considering the nature of the series - both it's expansiveness and it's intricacies for such a fairly slim series (by today's standards), I doubt they can do it justice. Especially considering what they have done to every previous attempt to bring Asimov's works to the screen (have you ever seen the screen version of Nightfall? Horrid!).

I've always thought they could do a TV series based on the Foundation Merchant Traders, though. Plenty of opportunity for action and interesting plotlines.

[NeedleCast]

7. I'd love to see a trilogy based on Asimov's Foundation series

but it would probably too intellectual for most people.

[TahitiNut]

27. (self-delete)

:blush:

[johnaries]

8. Oh, crap. They hired the guy who adapted I, Robot for the script.

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/000133.html

http://www.mania.com/exclusive-asimovs-foundation-to-split-into-two-movies_article_39858.html

http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/07/29/isaac-asimovs-foundation-trilogy-headed-to-the-big-screen/

[Dover]

9. ...pssssssssssssssssssssssssss

That was the sound of the air leaking out of my balloon.

Thanks for posting this. While I'm excited that it is in the works, if they don't do it justice
then I wish they wouldn't bother. It would be sacrilege to screw this up.

[Dover]

10. Will Smith????!!!! Double crap.....sigh... What if

the studio becomes strapped for money in the financial downturn and sells its rights to the project?

I can dream can't I...

Asimov would roll over in his grave at the thought of his brilliant epic tale being treated like I Robot or Men In Black. UGH!

[hfojvt]

14. that was my first thought. That I, Robot was such a piece of dreck

Or, if not dreck, at least something that bore almost no relationship to the book by that name.

I don't think they could make a movie without any chase scenes, battle scenes, or fight scenes, could they? Not in this day and age.

[Dover]

17. On the contrary. After eight years of dumbing down, I think Americans CRAVE intelligence!

Fantasy is on the way out and a new holistic realism is in (a recognition of a new reality). Black and white is out, in favor of subtle greys, and colors that bleed into one another. We need the richness, intelligence and mature engagement that authors like Asimov offer.

We are NOT dumb. The media and the Bushco years have only catered to the reptile brain and lowest
common denominator. We are hungry for the subtle intricacies, spatial expansiveness and psychological depths of this thought-provoking epic exploration. Not to mention its timeliness,
considering the challenges that face our own society at this historic juncture.

[Orsino]

15. Worse yet, the project belongs to Fox.

Fuck 'em.

[Dover]

22. Yep. Perhaps a better title for their version would be, "Asimov For Dummies".

Insulting.

[Greyhound]

11. It would have to be a mini-series, theaters won't show an 18 hour film.

It's just way too big for a film, LOTR took ~9 hours and it isn't half the story Foundation is.

I would watch it, of course I would probably watch the 18 hour theatrical version too, probably alone.

[Dover]

13. Wouldn't it be cool for theaters to dedicate a full day to a movie!

It would be a 'happening'. Hell, people camp out on sidewalks overnight to buy tickets to certain events, why wouldn't they camp out in much greater comfort to watch an epic movie?

Audiences could come for the day (or maybe break it up into two movies/days), with intermissions planned
every couple of hours. Those who can only come for part of it one day, could come back another day during an intermission and pick up where they left off. This is how we read a good book isn't it?

In a world of sound bites and formulaic events, this would break the mold.

[pinto]

18. Eugene O'Neil 'Iceman Cometh', iirc, was originally 8 hours. Had a dinner intermission break.

Most productions have pared it down, but an interesting concept. :think:

[originalpckelly]

12. The only series of books I've ever found myself addicted to reading...

I agree completely. I wish someone would do a great adaptation of the books. It's such a wonderful series.

Problem that I don't like is that I think it might require more than three films to do the first few books.

[Frank Cannon]

16. I don't believe any of Asimov's works would translate well to cinema

That's nothing against Asimov. It's just that he was kind of a didact. His books deal more with discussing interesting ideas and not so much with splashy visual concepts and thrilling action.

I really like the writings of Gregory Benford, but I could never imagine anyone making a movie out of any of his books.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

19. Not very visual. Only the part with the Mule is very cinematic

[MercutioATC]

21. Oh, I think it's very cinematic. Asimov was very descriptive.

Not just the Mule. Imaging seeing Trantor on the big screen...the fleet battles...even Seldon's hologram...

I saw what they did with O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series (a 20-book series made into a single movie..."Master and Commander") and I think the Foundation Trilogy would suffer almost as badly........but it'd be visually cool to watch.

[pinto]

20. I'd love to see a well done adaptation.

Love the series. :thumbsup:

[ThoughtCriminal]

23. My favorite quote

"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." -Slavor Hardin (Foundation)

[salvorhardin]

26. That's my favorite too.

Just be sure to spell my name right though. ;-)

[Dover]

24. I liked the production of Blade Runner

although still a lightweight and hardly epic.

But I wonder if Ridley Scott would be a good choice to direct? At least he has experience
with epics, though I wonder if he could have directed a film like Lawrence of Arabia.
It's hard to find a director/producer who is as good at subtle character development as they
are at other aspects of creating a large epic. Usually one suffers at the expense of the other.
Sometimes simplicity is best.

How about David Milch (of Deadwood fame, among others)?

[mrfrapp]

25. Radio

The BBC did a cracking radio dramatisation of the original Foundation trilogy and I would definitely recommend you track a copy of it down.

[Dover]

28. Thanks for that info. I found a great site for downloading it!

http://www.torrentz.com/25ad08ba3ae58555615f0b076d851dd8792f3376


About the BBC Radio Dramatization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Foundation_Trilogy_(BBC_Radio)


General Info On Asimov's Foundation Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Foundation_Series