HBO may be taking a gamble with its 10-episode series Westworld . The on-again-off-again project has had plenty of rumors regarding its production problems, but real information about the actual show has been hush hush until just recently.
The new production is based on the 1973 movie of the same name that was written and directed by Michael Crichton and starred Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, and James Brolin. The plot centered on a future theme park resort, not unlike Fantasy Island , where guests could live out their wildest fantasies within themed areas, interacting with sophisticated robots. The movie focused mostly on the “Westworld” section, a wild west town. The actual park had numerous other themed areas as well. The place looked promising before one robot (the “man in black”) began to malfunction and started killing the guests and not just in the “Westworld” section. The sequel, Futureworld came out in 1976, but it didn’t have the same success as the first film.
The #Westworld reviews are in—and it’s the next big thing: https://t.co/7NKIyS1A4y ???????? pic.twitter.com/115P8yAG3a
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) September 18, 2016
HBO’s Westworld isn’t TV’s first series on the subject either. In 1980, CBS launched Beyond Westworld , a series that starred Jim McMullan, James Wainwright, Connie Selleca, and Gilligan’s Island’s Russell Johnson. It only survived five episodes.
The new Westworld series, which has an impressive cast including Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, and James Marsden among others, asks the question, “What would you do if you found out that your whole life had been one big fabricated lie?” The show was created by Jonathan Nolan ( Interstellar, The Dark Knight, Person of Interest ) and Lisa Joy ( Pushing Daisies, Burn Notice ). The new show debuts on Sunday, October 2 at 9:00 p.m. on HBO.
RELATED REPORTS FROM INQUISITR:
Horror Documentary ‘Rats’ Is Morgan Spurlock’s Latest Endeavor
Ted Danson And Kristen Bell Preview ‘The Good Place’
HBO recently shared a list of characters and descriptions for the new Westworld series. They are:
- Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins): He’s the founder, chief programmer and creative director or Westworld.
- The Man in Black (Ed Harris): He is the “distillation of pure villainy into one man.”
- Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood): The beautiful and kind rancher’s daughter who knows a secret.
- Teddy Flood (James Marsden): The new arrival to the frontier town. He is as impressive with his revolver skills as he is with his charm.
- Madam Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton): She is said to beautiful, smart and a “genius for reading people.”
- Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright): Head of the Westworld’s programming division who uses his observation of people to create fake human robots for the park.
- Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson): Said to be a “mysterious and savvy provocateur with a unique perspective on Westworld.”
- Theresa Cullen (Sidse Babett Knudsen): Head of quality assurance at Westworld and the one who needs to keep the park in balance and not “sliding into unscripted chaos.”
- William (Jimmi Simpson): A first-time visitor who isn’t comfortable with his new surroundings at first but “slowly uncovers a deeper meaning.”
- Logan (Ben Barnes): A veteran guest who wants to help William have the best vacation ever.
- Hector Escaton (Rodrigo Santoro): Known as Westworld’s “most wanted” bandit.
- Elsie Hughes (Shannon Woodward): Works in the behavior department and diagnoses some odd quirks in the park’s hosts.
- Armistice (Ingrid Bolso Berdal): A fighter and bandit.
- Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman): Head of narrative and fantastic story creator for the guests.
- Clementine Pennyfeather (Angela Sarafyan): Said to be “one of Westworld’s most popular attractions.”
- Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth): No-nonsense head of security.
- Lawrence (Clifton Collins, Jr.): Another bad guy who has a way with maneuvering various criminal elements of Westworld.
[Featured Image by HBO]