'Interstellar's' Jonah Nolan Developing 'Foundation' Series for HBO, WBTV (Exclusive)

The Wrap ^ | November 10, 2014 | Jeff Sneider

[EveningStar]

The Oscar-nominated "Memento" writer says "everyone would benefit from reading" the sci-fi trilogy

HBO and Warner Bros. TV are teaming to produce a series based on Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" trilogy that will be written and produced by "Interstellar" writer Jonathan Nolan, multiple individuals familiar with the project have told TheWrap.

Nolan, who is already working with HBO on "Westworld," has been quietly developing the project for the last several months. He recently tipped his hand to Indiewire, which asked him, 'what's the one piece of science fiction you truly love that people don't know enough about?'

[PIF]

The show also makes the important and now no longer understood point that Sci-fi and Science Fiction are not the same things.

Sci-fi is about plot and, lately, special effects. There is ‘science’, but usually there is no rational basis for it (take that out, and there is nothing left). It is also about denigration the entire genre: Star Trek, Star Wars, any horror movie set in the future, etc

Science Fiction is about the human condition with real or possible science involved. Real Science Fiction approaches or is literature, something the poorly educated avoid as boring, contrary to their world view, or beliefs: 2001, Babylon 5, Lord of the Rings (books, but not movies) and anything written by Gene Wolf.

[EveningStar]

There is also a Discworld series, by a different author, with no connection to the Ringworld universe.

I noticed that. :)

[Ransomed]

I never made any distinctions between ‘sci-fi’ and science fiction myself. When I hear either I actually think of ‘books’ first. ‘Speculative fiction’ is probably a more suitable broader term, but it’s never rolled of the tongue for me.

Here’s something I found a while ago, a list from a 1968 Galaxy mag of sci-fi authors for and against the Vietnam war. You might have to zoom to read it properly. I would take the pro authors over the antis on this one as far as which side I would want to read, if I had to choose. Asimov opposed involvement, Vance was pro involvement.

http://www.natsmusic.net/articles_galaxy_magazine_viet_nam_war.htm

Freegards

[PIF]

ANTI NAM
Issac Asimov
James Blish
Anthony Boucher
Ray Bradberry
Terry Carr
Samuel R Delany
Lester del Ray
Philip K Dick
Thomas M Disch
Harlan Ellison
Philip J Farmer
Harry Harrison
Ursula K LaGuin
Fritz Leiber
Barry Maltzberg
Judith Merril
Gene Roddenberry
Robert Silverburg
Kate Wilhelm

PRO NAM
Poul Anderson
Llyod Biggle Jr
Leigh Brackett
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Fredric Brown
John W Campbell
Hal Clement
L Sprague de Camp
Robert A Heinlein
R A Lafferty
Larry Biven
Jerry E Pournelle
Jack Vance