Emmerich lands rights to Asimov trilogy, 2012 delayed

The late sci-fi master Isaac Asimov has had a particularly unfortunate run of it in Hollywood. For as prolific a writer and thinker as he was, it’s no surprise the industry has sought to mine his work, but the bloated studio efforts that have resulted so far—I, Robot and Bicentennial Man, most famously—haven’t exactly honored the legacy he carved out for himself.

Alas, his fans should brace themselves for more. Columbia has won the rights to Foundation, the author’s dense series about an intergalactic empire with a dark future and the man who attempts to preserve human knowledge through grim times. Attached to direct is the madcap FX zealot Roland Emmerich, the man behind The Day After Tomorrow, 10,000 B.C. and most recently the apocalyptic fable 2012, which was just pushed back to November from a planned summer release.

Given the scope of the series (the original stories span 500 years), it seems likely that the project will have a complex road through development ahead.

Related links:
News: John Cusack signs on for Roland Emmerich's 2012
Review: 10,000 B.C.
AsimovOnline.com

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