HBO's latest sex-and-violence filled drama, Westworld, became one of the smash hit shows of 2016. The sci-fi western was HBO's most watched first season, critically acclaimed, and made it to "Top Show Of The Year" lists on IMDB according to viewer analytics. Plus, it was even one of the most pirated shows of the year. This huge success was followed by a brief disappointment for fans when HBO announced that season 2 of the series wouldn't air until 2018. There's little doubt that fans will be just as excited to see the return of the show next year, but the long wait is definitely a frustration, especially when the series left so many questions unanswered.

One of the big questions that was (mostly) wrapped up in season 1, however, was the William/Man In Black arc that saw two timelines featuring the character of William. In one, a younger William (Jimmi Simpson) fell in love with a girl in the park, while in the other, an older Man In Black (Ed Harris) searched for a mysterious maze. With that resolved, fans have wondered whether the young William would be returning to the show - and now it seems that Simpson himself is also unsure about his character's future.

In an interview with GQ Style, Simpson talked about his time on the show, and the possibility of seeing William back in the second season.

So far, my involvement in [season 2] is unclear. If they have more for William, I would assume it would be a whole new kind of story. Because I feel like this story, the love affair [with Evan Rachel Wood’s character, Dolores], we know everything, we know what happens, we don’t have to belabor that point. But if they have a reason — I mean, it was the greatest set I’ve ever worked on. But we’re all speculating what season 2 will be, and I think it’ll be something that will blow our minds, to the degree that the first season did. But I wouldn’t be surprised if William showed up season 3 or something.

We do know that Harris will return for season 2, so the character is not yet finished with the show. Beyond that, however, we do not know much about the follow up season's plot or focus. We can assume that there will be plenty made of the war between the robots and the guests that was started at the end of season 1, but it also looks like we could get a glimpse at some of the other parks as well as more information about the park technology, location, and the power sources for the robots themselves. Where William fits into this is yet to be seen.

We would love to see more of young William in future seasons - while his love story has certainly been wrapped up quite neatly, there is plenty more to see in terms of his slow takeover of the company that owns the parks. We could also (finally) meet the fiance that he seems so willing to forget about in season 1. Simpson's enthusiasm to return is also a good sign, and we can hope that the show has space for such a phenomenal character in the future.

Of course, any actor would be thrilled to return to such a beautifully made and hugely popular show. HBO's last huge hit, Game of Thrones, has become so successful that the stars are being paid millions per season - who wouldn't want to remain involved with the network's next big thing? Simpson's enthusiasm is also no official confirmation of young William's return, as much as we might want to see it. For now, we'll be keeping you posted on news of season two as it develops, and crossing our fingers that Simpson can return at some point.

Next: Westworld Season 2: Showrunners Are ‘Trying to Get it Right’

Westworld season 2 is currently expected to premiere in 2018 on HBO.

Source: GQ Style