The Independance Day director is now the man in the chair to direct science fiction gurus most famous works, the Foundation Trilogy.
Emmereich beat out Alex Proyas (the crow) and other for the chance. This is also a move that shows where sony (the financiers) want the picture to go. Box office.
I don't know much about Asimovs work but i do know that Asimovs fans were near fanatical about the foundation books so there must be some promise in them.