Westworld star Jeffrey Wright opened up about the upcoming season of the HBO series, referring to the third season's real-world setting as a new theme park. Westworld, based on the 1973 movie of the same name, explores a futuristic theme park where guests can live out their wildest fantasies - at the expense of synthetic android hosts that comprise the populations of the various themed worlds. The series, executive produced by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, spent two seasons exploring the western-themed park, where guests, hosts, and creators struggle to co-exist in the wake of the hosts gaining sentients.
The season 2 finale broke boundaries when original host Dolores Abernathy, portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood, managed to break out of the park and into the real world. Season 2 showed glimpses of other themed worlds, including Shogun World's samurai-centric land and a colonial India-themed park. While season 3 is set to explore the world outside, the official trailer previews a World War II-themed park, so there's obviously more to explore.
Wright, in an interview with CNET, compared the hosts' experiences in the real world to the guest's experiences in Westworld. He said this season is "about exploring a new park, and that's the world outside of Westworld." His comments indicated season 3 would turn the past narrative on its head as the hosts take to the streets to explore the outside world. Free from the control of their creators, the hosts will likely treat the real world as carelessly as the guests treated them. Wright added, "It's viewing the show, the characters, the narrative through another of the reflective facets of the storyteller."
Apart from Wright and Evan Rachel Wood, season 3 will return stars Thandie Newton, Tessa Thompson, Ed Harris, and Luke Hemsworth. Season 3 also sees a handful of new cast members, including Aaron Paul, Vincent Castel, Lena Waithe, Michael Ealy, Scott Medusci (aka Kid Cudi), and NFL running back Marshawn Lynch.
While season 2's complicated plot, consisting of multiple timelines, was met with a considerable fan backlash, it remains to be seen whether the show will take a more straight-forward approach in the upcoming season or continue to play with audiences minds. Showrunners Nolan and Joy referred to the forthcoming season as a radical shift but admit it would require less guesswork from its viewers. In any case, the change in scenery, and the hosts' newfound freedom, should be more than enough excitement to bring viewers back for more. We'll see if Nolan and Joy were able to stick to their word when Westworld season 3 premieres March 15th on HBO.
Source: CNET