Foundation’s latest snag: showrunner David S. Goyer stepping down ahead of season 3

Last Updated on February 26, 2024

Just one week after it was announced that Foundation would resume filming after some issues involving budgetary and production concerns, the Apple TV+ sci-fi series has hit yet another snag, as co-creator David S. Goyer is stepping down from showrunner duties for the third season.

While Goyer will still be “creatively involved”, his position is being relegated to executive producer Bill Bost, although Goyer himself will still receive credit on Foundation. This may reasonably raise concerns for those who have been loyal to Foundation, as such a shakeup may point to even more significant behind-the-scenes problems, especially since it had previously been revealed that Goyer wouldn’t be directing any episodes of the third season, having helmed three episodes of the show’s first 20. One could possibly begin to deduce that these mounting issues may see even less involvement from Goyer, whose screenwriting credits include writing Batman Begins, Man of Steel and Terminator: Dark Fate. Could we possibly see Goyer removing himself entirely from the show?

One of the key problems currently surrounding the third season of Foundation – which will resume production in Prague next month – involves the ever-growing budgets, with The Hollywood Reporter noting, “Sources say Goyer and executives at the show’s production company, Skydance, clashed over the budget for the upcoming season.” Numbers-wise, the first season of Foundation cost around $45 million.

This is all quite a bit unfortunate, since Goyer had expressed so much excitement for the third season, stating, “I’m thrilled Apple has given us the opportunity to continue chronicling Asimov’s pioneering galactic saga…This time, the stakes for Foundation and Empire are even higher as the Mule takes center stage, along with fan-favorites Bayta, Toran, Ebling, and Magnifico Giganticus.”

Foundation has only garnered more attention and praise since debuting in 2021, with its second season holding a 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience score sits at a strong 78%. Both numbers are well above the first season, which sits at 72% and 65%, respectively. While our own critic Alex Maidy gave both seasons a 7/10, he did say the writing for the sophomore outing was a noticeable improvement over the debut.

Are you concerned about David S. Goyer stepping away from showrunner duties on Foundation? How do you expect the third season to compare to the first two? Give us your thoughts below!