Asimov sci-fi epic "Foundation" coming to screens !!!

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by AE35Unit

I robot was excellent. It wasn't Asimov but still very good.

I agree.

I, Robot is a good adaptation because it successfully translates a work of one medium into another while being filtered through the unique vision of the particular filmmaker.

The bad rap it gets is symptomatic of how hard it is for so many genre fans to let go of their own notions of how a film of their favorite book should look and sound.

I, Robot is a totally acceptable SF flick that works as a film.

Proyas delivered a solid film on all levels.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by frookenhauer

I strongly disagree, its high time they took a stab at this, because Foundation (and Dune) are SciFi's equivalent to LoTR and I was pleased with that particular result, so why not?

At the end of the day It all boils down to who they place at the helm, how much money they are going to throw at it and also who gets to play the roles. Its funny because the lead characters will change as the story progresses, because it runs over a millenia, so no sequels for the actors unless they go all Monty Python on us.

I'm thinking:

Christopher Nolan or Ridley Scott for director options (A bit pricey, but maybe worth it)

Patrick Stewart or Ian Mckellan for Seldon (They're not too expensive)

Heath Ledger for...Oh sh1t, he's dead, damnit.

Harrison Ford / Clooney as Salvor Hardin

Keep Shaia Le-Barf as far away from the set as possible

and so on...

thoughts?

Thoughts there is a big reason why Epic fantasy sells like 5 times more than SF.

Plus Foundation is the kind of SF that is far from epic.

Dune might have become a great movie today when there are directors like PJ. Dune was practically fantasy in space in its settings,some of the plot.

There arent SF directors version of PJ because hollywood dont care for SF that arent action movies.

If this was the 70s it would have been perfect. They did to smart SF those days.

Today its only about blockbusters and Foundation wont work for in that format as a movie.

I agree with who said it would work as a tv show.

If its done like the new Battlestar Galactica, it could become the best SF tv show ever.

[AE35Unit]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

I agree.

I, Robot is a good adaptation because it successfully translates a work of one medium into another while being filtered through the unique vision of the particular filmmaker.

The bad rap it gets is symptomatic of how hard it is for so many genre fans to let go of their own notions of how a film of their favorite book should look and sound.

I, Robot is a totally acceptable SF flick that works as a film.

Proyas delivered a solid film on all levels.

I reckon if it had not been called I Robot and had no association with asimov and that book then people would be talking differently about it. People have expectations and are disappointed when they're not met. I myself was hyped up at the time cos i loved the book and was initially disappointed but then i realised,hmmm actually its quite a good movie,asimov or no!

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

I, Robot is a totally acceptable SF flick that works as a film.

I'm not in disagreement with you, but.......... Is this what you want for Foundation?

[Connavar]

I thought it was decent movie not much more.

Since at that time i wasnt Asimov fan, i didnt really care.

I understand fans that disliked it because they expected something else.

They have every right. To use people favorite story name only to sell a movie is low .

It wasnt even needed, Will Smith makes every movie a 100+ million dollar hit.

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by Connavar

If its done like the new Battlestar Galactica, it could become the best SF tv show ever.

Maybe if HBO did it. But not Fox or the Sci-Fi channel.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by clovis-man

Maybe if HBO did it. But not Fox or the Sci-Fi channel.

Doesnt really matter. If its Ronald D Moore like quality.


HBO should do new Carnivale type show. They arent great with space opera SF so far.

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by Connavar

HBO should do new Carnivale type show. They arent great with space opera SF so far.

Conn, I didn't think you considered Foundation to be a space opera. No"action". No "space battles". That's why I mentioned HBO. "They" (generic reference to those who have procuced their mini-series so far) have certainly done a good job with character driven tales, e.g., Band of Brothers and John Adams.

And, yes, I do consider Band of Brothers to be character driven, despite the many battles. Moreover, it was an adaptation of a book that was very well done and faithful to the original source material. Spielberg and Hanks had everything to do with the film realization, but HBO did foot the bill.

I better stop before I get way too far off topic.

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by clovis-man

I'm not in disagreement with you, but.......... Is this what you want for Foundation?

This is what I want out of any adaptation.

1. An adaptation should be, first and foremost, a good movie. Some times this means a more literal, page for page filming, sometimes it means otherwise.

2. As the person who is not making the film, I must surrender my vision of what the film "should or shouldn't be," and trust in the vision of the filmmaker.

3. A filmmaker adapting a work only has one responsibility: to make the best film he or she possible can. This should also be the only expectation I have for the film.

4. I must realize that this is not my vision of the film, this is not the original author's vision of the film. An adaptation is simply the vision of a particular work filtered through a particular group of filmmakers.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

This is what I want out of any adaptation.

1. An adaptation should be, first and foremost, a good movie. Some times this means a more literal, page for page filming, sometimes it means otherwise.

2. As the person who is not making the film, I must surrender my vision of what the film "should or shouldn't be," and trust in the vision of the filmmaker.

3. A filmmaker adapting a work only has one responsibility: to make the best film he or she possible can. This should also be the only expectation I have for the film.

4. I must realize that this is not my vision of the film, this is not the original author's vision of the film. An adaptation is simply the vision of a particular work filtered through a particular group of filmmakers.

I see your points and agree somewhat.


Still if your adaption isnt even 1% similar to the original story core setting or plot why even bother ?

Create another film altogether.

I, Robot or any other movie that only shares a name with a famous work isnt a Vision. Its something very different....

[Fried Egg]

I've said this before but I think it's pertinent so I'll say it again; I think "I, Robot" did to some extent follow the spirit of Asimov, if not the letter.

The conclusion that the controlling AI came to; i.e. that they should take over our society to run it for our own good (because although there would be some human casualties in the short term, humanity could be prevented from doing far more harm to itself in the long term) is along the lines of the Zeroth law concept extrapolated but Daneel and Giskard in the Robots & Empire book. The zeroth law being that humanity itself should be protected and that this rule should take precendence over the other three, in particular the first law (that no robot should allow an individual human to come to harm).

I know that "Robots & Empire" wasn't actually part of the "I, Robot" collection but it still belies people's beliefs that this film "wasn't Asimov".

I can agree with D Davis when he says that first and foremost, it must be a good film. As such, I don't expect a literal translation of the Foundation from book to screen. But I do expect it to maintain the spirit of the books. Afterall, if the screen play doesn't feature some kind of new "Seldon crisis", we'll all know exactly what's going to happen. Part of the excitement reading the Foundation was wondering how each crisis was going to be overcome and the plan taken to the next stage. It always seemed like each new crisis was going to topple the plan. It will be good to experience that kind of suspense when watching this adaption even having read the books.

[CatBar]

Originally Posted by frookenhauer

I'm thinking:

Christopher Nolan or Ridley Scott for director options (A bit pricey, but maybe worth it)

Patrick Stewart or Ian Mckellan for Seldon (They're not too expensive)

Heath Ledger for...Oh sh1t, he's dead, damnit.

Harrison Ford / Clooney as Salvor Hardin

Keep Shaia Le-Barf as far away from the set as possible

and so on...

thoughts?

I'm worried as to who they might get to act my favourite characters Daneel Olivaw and Dors Venabili - I bet I'd be embarrassed by whoever they did cast simply because I love these two and would hate how they'd be misrepresented.

I'd be particularly worried for Daneel, as a male, as I fear they'd go and choose some uptight wooden 'mi-lord' type in the mistaken belief that this would somehow be considered 'dignified, upright and venerable' but would just end up being a parody.

For Dors they might go and cast some eager bouncy tomboy sort with no dignity whatsoever who'd just be annoying. Or they might make her a 'femme fatale' - attractive in a way but corny.

I'm not actually very up on actors or actresses so don't feel in a positiion to give examples - pop and rock stars are more my forte!

[montycircus]

Originally Posted by AE35Unit

I Robot was a great film...

Holy hyperbole Batman!

First there was 2001: A Space Oddyssey, then Blade Runner...and now...I, Robot ladies and gentlemen!

I can't understand the warm reception this is getting. On a sci-fi forum no less...by good, informed people. I feel like I want to cry, or scream.

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!

I, ROBOT IS SHITTY!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

[ghost8772]

Originally Posted by clovis-man

Maybe if HBO did it. But not Fox or the Sci-Fi channel.

I'd suggest BBC doing it. as disjointed as the stories were....