Westworld star, Jeffrey Wright, teases the start of production on season 4 with a new behind-the-scenes photo. The mind-bending HBO series is loosely based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same name and created by partners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who serve as showrunners and head writers. Since its premiere in 2016, the cerebral series has famously confused viewers and received praise from critics, scoring 54 Primetime Emmy nods and 9 wins.
Season 1 of the series begins in its titular park Westworld, a Wild-West-themed amusement park populated with technologically advanced humanoids referred to as hosts. These highly intelligent robots cater to every need of the park's high-paying patrons, allowing them to indulge in their wildest fantasies without any fear of repercussions. The hosts eventually achieve consciousness, and season 2 expands the narrative outside of the park. Season 3 takes place entirely outside of Westworld as hosts escape and inhabit a mid-21st century world dominated by a powerful artificial intelligence called Rehoboam.
Now, one of the show’s stars, Jeffery Wright, reveals on Instagram that production of Westworld season 4 has officially commenced. Season 3 saw Wright’s character, Bernard Lowe, return from the Valley Beyond, a digital paradise in which hosts go to escape the clout of humans. When Bernard emerges from the digital world, he and everything around him is covered in dust, indicating that many years have passed. Wright’s post shows his on-set chair, labeled with his character’s name, with a caption reading, “Good morning…old friend,” a reference to his creator, Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins).
Wright’s post does not offer any information in terms of season 4’s plot, but fans will be thrilled to hear the next season of the sci-fi show is now in production. However, this was expected since HBO has aired a new season of the series every two years since its debut in 2016. With its last season airing in March of 2020 right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the next season is expected sometime in 2022.
Just as the ending to season 2, the season 3 finale posed more questions than it answered. After the conclusion of Evan Rachel Wood’s character’s arc (who won’t be returning for season 4), Aaron Paul’s Caleb and Thandiwe Newton’s Maeve must carry Dolores’ torch, while a different version of her consciousness in the body of Tessa Thompson’s Charlotte sets out on a quest to destroy humanity with the help of an AI version of the Man in Black (Ed Harris). Case in point, Westworld is currently one of the most confusing yet intriguing shows on television and hopefully, season 4 will continue to challenge viewers as it has in the past.
Source: Jeffery Wright