Apple TV+ has released the first two episodes of Foundation, which is based on Isaac Asimov's epic novels, in 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Foundation TV series
With Foundation, Isaac Asimov wrote one of the most influential science fiction book series in history. It was honored with a one-time Hugo Award for 'Best All-Time Series' ahead of The Lord of the Rings and other works.

20th Century Fox, HBO, Sony and Warner Bros have all tried to develop feature films or series but the epic saga, which spans 1000 years, was long held to be "unfilmable" due to its complex nature. In the end it was Apple TV+ who pushed ahead in partnership with David S. Goyer (screenplay writer of The Dark Knight).

Foundation premieres today on Apple TV+. The first two episodes are available now and an additional 8 episodes will follow as part of season 1 – a new one each Friday. It can be enjoyed in 4K Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.

Apple TV+ has a free 7-day trial. The subscription service can be accessed from within the Apple TV app on the Apple TV box, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, select Smart TVs, Roku, PlayStation, and Xbox.



Could span 8 seasons
David S. Goyer has previously said that he hopes to tell the sci-fi tale across 80 episodes spanning 8 seasons – around 80 hours in total – but it will likely depend on how the first season is received.

Due to the story's complexity, Goyer explains that the series format has allowed the team to "expand" rather than condense everything into a single or a couple of feature films. Two episodes of Foundation have roughly the same budget as a comparable movie, according to Goyer.

Apple is seemingly hoping that Foundation can measure up to the success of Game of Thrones and that it can help cement the position of Apple TV+. It is estimated that Apple TV+ has 40 million subscribers. Netflix is still the leading streaming service with over 209 million subscribers.

Apple TV+ has a free 7-day trial after which it costs $5 per month