- Apple has renewed Foundation for a fourth season
- Filming will begin on the series’ next installment in early 2026
- We don’t know if the sci-fi epic’s original eight-season plan is still being followed
Apple has officially renewed Foundation for a fourth season.
The announcement came on the same date (September 12) that Foundation season 3’s final episode made its Apple TV+ debut, and fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief over the sci-fi epic’s future after months of radio silence.
While reports in February suggested that Foundation season 4 was already in development, Apple had given no indication that this was actually the case. In fact, there was so much secrecy around the space opera’s possible return that its cast weren’t aware that a fourth season had been greenlit by Apple executives.
Speaking to me in late June ahead of season 3’s arrival, stars Lou Llobell and Jared Harris said they didn’t know if Foundation would get a fourth season. That was also the case when I spoke to Llobell and another season 3 cast member, Tomas Lemarquis, in early September, with the pair admitting they still had no clue if Foundation season 4 would see the light of day.
Thankfully, Apple’s entertainment division has now put an end to all of the speculation.
Commenting on the show’s renewal, Apple’s Head of Programming Michael Chernis said: “It’s been fantastic to watch Foundation become such a global phenomenon, with fans tuning in from every corner of the world. With each new season, the excitement around this trailblazing sci-fi epic just keeps building due to the bold storytelling and collective artistry of this extraordinarily talented cast and creative team. We’re excited to keep exploring this universe together in season four.”
Confirmation that one of the best Apple TV+ shows will return isn’t the only announcement regarding the show. Apple also revealed Ian Goldberg and David Kob will share co-showrunning duties on season 4, with the pair replacing co-creator David S Goyer at Foundation‘s creative helm. Despite stepping back from his showrunning duties last February, Goyer remains part of the series’ executive producing team.
“There is no series quite like Foundation and we feel lucky and honored to be carrying the torch forward as co-showrunners into season four,” Goldberg and Kob said. “We look forward to continuing the epic, emotional, storytelling that defined the first three seasons of the show, and to be working alongside some of the most talented, passionate creative partners in the business.”
Filming is due to begin on Foundation season 4 in early 2026, which gives me hope that the critically-acclaimed Apple TV Original’s next installment could make its bow on one of the world’s best streaming services in 2027. The fact that Apple didn’t announce that it’ll be the show’s final season suggests that a fifth season could be greenlit at some point, too.
While Foundation‘s immediate future is secure, I’m still not convinced it’ll achieve its original multi-season objective.
Before Foundation‘s debut season was released in September 2021, Goyer revealed that he’d pitched an eight-season plan to Apple. However, in a Q&A posted on his own website in August, Goyer heavily implied that this outline was no longer being adhered to. “I don’t believe the new team is adhering to any of those ideas,” he wrote. “They are charting their own path and making it their own, as they should.”
What does that mean for Foundation‘s eight-season outline? It’s possible that Goldberg, Kob, and company have only tweaked the story-based portion of Goyer’s plan. In my view, though, the more likely scenario is that Goyer’s eight-season outline has been condensed, so much so that I wouldn’t be shocked if Foundation only ends up running for five seasons.
We won’t know for sure until another major update on the show’s future is provided by Apple. In the meantime, you can get the full lowdown on what happened in this season’s final chapter by reading my Foundation season 3 ending explained article.
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