The first season of HBO's "Westworld" is showcasing an American Old West-style theme park. The series' future seasons, however, are expected to feature Roman and medieval worlds just like the 1973 Michael Crichton movie it was based on.
Crichton's film with the same name went beyond the West World theme and its American cowboys, expanding into other Delos Corporation worlds that featured ancient Roman and medieval hosts or automatons. Crichton's "Westworld" also had a sequel in 1976 titled "Futureworld," which didn't receive great reception that its predecessor enjoyed. That sequel centered on a simulated space station, Medievalworld, Ancient Romanworld, and one called Spaworld, according to Screen Rant.
"Westworld" production designer Zack Grobler teased the series' Roman and medieval worlds in future seasons during a recent interview with Inverse. Grobler, however, noted that season one will stay in the West World during its course.
"For the first season, we only explore the West World," Grobler told Inverse. "There's talk about in the future seasons, if there's more, that there will be a different world. But we're not sure what it will be yet."
These two settings could introduce new characters and unique themes. It is bound to be a fresh experience for viewers given how different the Roman and medieval worlds are compared to West World. It's also possible that the future seasons would showcase an anthology atmosphere like "True Detective," which hails from HBO as well.
HBO's "Westworld" gained positive reviews and the highest rating of any series that premiered in the network since "True Detective" in 2014. New photos from the second episode titled "Chestnut" were recently released. It featured new guests, Logan (Ben Barnes) and William (Jimmi Simpson), and an orientation host named Angela (Talulah Riley), who will welcome the newcomers, Parent Herald previously reported.
Logan and William have significant roles on "Westworld." A sneak peek for episode two also featured Maeve (Thandie Newton) going rogue and Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) rebelling and gaining consciousness, which was hinted at in the final moments of the premiere.
Wood told Entertainment Weekly that being the theme park's oldest automaton, Dolores is the most advanced host in there and her "waking up" is plausible. Co-creator Lisa Joy, meanwhile, said that "something is stirring" within Dolores and is shouldn't be dismissed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Episode two will address whether the host malfunction is contagious, while the Man in Black (Ed Harris) will continue trying to discover Westworld's deepest secrets. The second episode of "Westworld" will air this Sunday, Oct. 9 on HBO. Watch the sneak peek below.
