Ever since Game of Thrones took off and became the most popular series in the history of HBO, many wondered if the network would try to capitalize on the show’s success by expanding their fantasy/sci-fi output. HBO isn’t one to act hastily, but a potential “companion” series of sorts surfaced last year with Westworld, an adaptation of Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same name. Executive produced by Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight, Person of Interest), Lisa Joy, and J.J. Abrams, the series is described as "a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin," and if it follows the central premise of the film, it revolves around androids that run amuck in a high-tech theme park.
Production on the pilot began last year, with Anthony Hopkins playing the park’s creative visionary and Ed Harris taking on the role of a robot gunslinger (played by Yul Brynner in the film), and HBO ordered it to series shortly afterward. However, despite the fact that the show was originally eyed to premiere later this year, we learned last month that it was being postponed to 2016 so they could ensure the subsequent episodes were up to the quality standard that the pilot set.
HBO has confirmed this 2016 debut date, but has also decided to give the fans a taste of what to expect in the form of some new images from the series. With a cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, and Evan Rachel Wood, the talent is certainly there to make this thing sing, and I can’t wait to see what the full series has in store for us next year.
Check out the photos below, via HBO.
