Foundation season 3: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, story details, and more about the Apple TV+ show's return

Foundation season 3 is almost here. Following its surprise release date announcement in May, the Apple TV+ sci-fi show is set to return on July 11. So, there's no time like the present (or should that be the future?) to find out everything we know about it so far.

In this guide, I'll walk you through the biggest and latest news about Foundation's third season. Indeed, you'll learn more about its episodic release schedule, trailer, confirmed cast, plot specifics, and the Apple TV Original's future from here on out.

Be advised, though, that major spoilers follow for Foundation season 2. Potential spoilers are also discussed for the forthcoming season and Isaac Asimov's book series namesake.

Foundation season 3 release date

Foundation season 3 will make its debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 11. The tech giant confirmed this would be the case on its social media channels in mid-May.

Initially, former showrunner David S Goyer and some of the show's cast declined to comment on the sci-fi series' season 3 renewal when I asked them about this rumor ahead of its forebear's July 2023 launch. Months later, Foundation season 3 was confirmed to be in the works.

This season's development didn't always go as planned, though. Last February, Foundation season 3 faced an agonizing filming delay amid multiple issues, including apparent disputes over its budget. Less than two weeks later, things seemed rosy again, with principal photography starting up again on Foundation's next installment.

But, more issues would spoil its filming schedule. Just one week after principal photography re-commenced, rumors quickly spread that Goyer had stepped back from the Apple TV+ sci-fi series, with fellow executive producer Bill Bost reportedly stepping in to fill the gap. Then, in late March, a new report suggested Game of Thrones' Pilou Asbaek had replaced Mikael Persbrandt as The Mule, aka this season's primary villain.

Suffice it to say, season 3 has faced its fair share of problems. With Foundation's next chapter set to arrive shortly, we'll see how much of an impact all of this upheaval has had on its story and production quality.

Foundation season 3 trailer

The first trailer for Foundation season 3 arrived in mid-May. It gave us our first official look at Asbaek's take on The Mule, teased plenty more in the way of mind-boggling sci-fi and explosive action, and suggested that the titular organization and the Empire will need to form an uneasy alliance to deal with galactic threat that The Mule poses.

Foundation season 3 confirmed cast

Major spoilers follow for Foundation season 2.

Here's who we'll see in Foundation season 3:

• Jared Harris as Hari Seldon
• Lee Pace as Brother Day
• Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
• Laura Birn as Demerzel
• Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
• Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk
• Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn
• Alexander Siddig as Doctor Ebling Mis
• Troy Kotsur as Preem Palver
• Pilou Asbaek as The Mule
• Cherry Jones as Foundation Ambassador Quent
• Synnøve Karlsen as Bayta Mallow
• Cody Fern as Toran Mallow
• Brandon P Bell as Han Pritcher
• Tómas Lemarquis as Magnifico Giganticus
• Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing as Song
• Leo Bill as Mayor Indbur

The first seven actors return from Foundation's first two seasons, while the rest are all newcomers for the show's latest 10-episode installment.

Flashback sequences notwithstanding, it's incredibly unlikely that we'll see any other actors return from season 2. Its follow-up is set over 150 years after the series' sophomore outing, so the likes of Ella Rae Smith's Queen Sareth and Kulvinder Ghir's Poly are surely dead by this point.

One major character who definitely won't return is Leah Harvey's Salvor Hardin. She sacrificed herself to save Gaal in 'Creation Myths', aka season 2's final episode. Foundation's universe has the potential to bring people back from the dead – we're looking at you, Hari – but, considering Salvor was cremated, she's officially dead and gone.

Foundation season 3 story synopsis and rumors

Major spoilers follow for Foundation season 2.

Here's the official plot brief for Foundation season 3: "Set 152 years after the events of season 2, The Foundation has become increasingly established far beyond its humble beginnings while the Cleonic Dynasty’s Empire has dwindled.

"As both of these galactic powers forge an uneasy alliance, a threat to the entire galaxy appears in the fearsome form of a warlord known as The Mule whose sights are set on ruling the universe by use of physical and military force, as well as mind control. It’s anyone’s guess who'll win, who'll lose, who'll live, and who'll die as Hari, Gaal, the Cleons, and Demerzel play a potentially deadly game of intergalactic chess."

That's just enough to go on for the time being. But, if you want more of an idea where this season could go narratively, my Foundation season 2 ending explainer looks at the possible storylines and subplots that could make up its successor's narrative, so read that article for more on what the season 2 finale might have set up. If you don't want to click away from this page, though, I'll give you an in-depth, spoiler-filled breakdown from this point on.

Let's start with the Galactic Empire. Season 2's incarnations of its three Emperors – Dawn, Day, and Dusk, all clones of Cleon I – no longer sit on the throne (or thrones, if you will). Day suffocated in space, Dusk was killed by Demerzel, and Dawn fled with Queen Sareth after Demerzel threatened to execute Sareth for her alleged failed assassination attempt on Day in season 2's opening episode.

Indeed, it was Demerzel who hired the Blind Angels to murder Day. He wanted to marry Sareth and father his own children, which would've ended the Cleonic dynasty. This plan went against the directives Cleon I gave Demerzel – remember, she's a robot – centuries earlier, which included maintaining that blood line. Long story short: Demerzel planned to set up Sareth as Day's would-be murderer and execute her to preserve the status quo.

With season 2's Emperors deceased or on the run, Demerzel has been forced to decant new versions of all three clones – something she's never had to do before. With season 3 set over a century later, these new iterations may not be the current incumbents on the throne, though, so it'll be interesting to see a) if they are and b) how much power they actually wield in light of season 2's revelations about Demerzel.

That's not the only wildcard Demerzel has at her disposal. In season 2 episode 9, aka 'Long Ago, Not Far Away', the Vault-based version of Hari Seldon – you didn't forget there were two of him, did you? – tried to show Demerzel how to operate the Prime Radiant. Essentially a data storage device, the Prime Radiant contains all of Hari's psychohistory-based math, which is being used to help guide humanity through its darkest age yet.

The Prime Radiant also exists in a state of supposition, allowing it to exist in two places at once. That means the living Hari (the one working with Gaal) possesses one and, unfortunately for The Foundation, the other is in Demerzel's hands. Once she can read Hari's math, she'll be able to manipulate it and use it for her (and the Empire's) own nefarious means.

Speaking of the Vault, 'Creation Myths' revealed that the mysterious 4D structure survived the destruction of Terminus. I'm unsure when we'll see the Vault again, but I fully expect it to continue playing a big role in Foundation's overarching plot.

The Foundation's survival isn't the only thing the Empire has to contend with.

For starters, Dawn and Sareth's absconsion is a worrying prospect – Sareth is pregnant with Dawn's child, meaning their firstborn has a claim to the Empire's throne. With Foundation season 3 featuring a major time jump, we could see their child's next of kin make a play for the royal seat if this particular narrative is followed up on. After all, in the second half of 'Foundation and Empire', the second novel in Asismov's Foundation book trilogy, the Empire is engulfed by civil war. This plot point could be adapted for a showdown between Dawn and Sareth's bloodline and the Cleonic dynasty.

Elsewhere, Gaal and Hari's successful recruitment of the Mentalics, a race with psychic abilities, means The Foundation is stronger than ever. Add the Mentalics to the Foundation's seven planetary bodies, plus the Empire losing the ability to hyperjump – the genetically engineered Spacers are no longer enslaved by them – and, as this season's story synopsis points out, the playing field is more level than ever before.

Hari, Gaal, and company shouldn't expect to walk all over the Empire now, however. The emergence of The Mule – a powerful Mentalic who begins conquering worlds in Asmiov's book series – will surely give rise to the Third Seldon Crisis.

These crises are fixed points in humanity's existence that determine whether The Foundation succeeds or fails. So far, The Foundation has navigated two potential calamities: surviving in the galaxy's outer reaches and bypassing a full-blown war with the Empire.

The Mule, though, looks like he'll pose the biggest threat – and that's saying something – to The Foundation's existence yet. To combat him, Gaal and Hari have entered cryosleep on the Mentalics' sanctuary of Ignis. That way, they can be reawakened when The Mule shows up and help lead the fight against him. The rest of the Mentalics will hone their abilities and learn about psychohistory in the interim 150-year period so they're ready to battle The Mule and his forces when the time comes.

Is Foundation season 4 in the works?

Not officially. However, a fourth season is reportedly in the works with a new showrunner in Fear the Walking Dead alumnus Ian Goldberg.

By the time season 3 ends, Foundation will have only covered the first two main novels in Asimov's book series – 'Foundation' and 'Foundation & Empire', plus the first half of the third novel titled 'Second Foundation'. There are two prequel novels and two sequel books that expand on Foundation's unique universe, too, so there's plenty more storytelling ground to cover.

Ahead of the first season's launch, Goyer (per Decider) revealed he had an eight-season outline for the series. It's deviated somewhat from the story told in Asimov's books so, alongside adapting parts from the wider source material, a more complete narrative could be told in the seasons to come.

As long as Foundation continues to draw in a big enough audience to justify its financial outlay, Apple should continue to bankroll its development. If this season struggles to draw in fans new and old alike, though, the tech titan has shown it isn't afraid to cancel shows before their time. The jury is very much out on whether Foundation season 3 will be the show's latest or final chapter, then.

For more Apple TV Plus-based coverage, read our Apple TV+ review. Alternatively, check out our guides on the best Apple TV+ movies, Severance season 3, Ted Lasso season 4, and Slow Horses season 5.