Rupert Sanders to direct Apple's 'Foundation'

Director Rupert Sanders will helm the pilot episode of Apple TV+'s upcoming drama series "Foundation", based on Isaac Asimov's novels of the same name.

"Chernobyl" star Jared Harris and actor Lee Pace are set to play the lead roles.

The story revolves around the epic saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.

Harris will star as Hari Seldon, a math genius who predicts the demise of the empire, while Pace will portray the role of Brother Day, the current Emperor of the Galaxy, reported Deadline.

Sanders is best known for directing Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth-starrer "Snow White and the Huntsman" and Scarlett Johansson-fronted "Ghost in the Shell".

David S Goyer will serve as showrunner and executive producer for the series.

Skydance Television is producing the project with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Marcy Ross attached to executive produce.

Josh Friedman and Robyn Asimov, daughter of Isaac Asimov, also serve as executive producers.

Originally published as a short story in 1942, Asimov's "Foundation" went on to become a trilogy for decades before additional material expanded the series to seven volumes.

AppleTV+ is set to launch on November 1.