‘Westworld’ Season 2: Release Date, Unexpected Plot, And Returning Cast

Westworld brought a fresh take into the classic Wild West theme, and fans are looking forward to Season 2 after 10 great episodes in its highly-anticipated first season. While many fans expect the series to return this year, Season 2 of Westworld has a release date scheduled for 2018.

The technologically advanced androids of Westworld makes it an expensive series to produce. Each episode costs about $8 to $10 million. It seems like the sci-fi western thriller was worth the investment as Westworld’s first season is HBO’s most-watched original series. It has also received great reviews from critics and fans alike.

Back to Westworld Season 2 release date, HBO programming director Casey Bloys spoke to Entertainment Weekly about Westworld’s return.

“My suspicion is sometime in 2018 because of how big the world is and what goes into shooting it. So I don’t have a date exactly — they’re going to have to map it out and write the scripts — but my guess is sometime in ’18.”

The series is yet to receive an official air date but it will likely return to HBO’s fall schedule of 2018.

Freeze all motor functions.
The cast and creators of #Westworld arrives at #PaleyFest. pic.twitter.com/qN35NUpy1Z

— Westworld (@WestworldHBO) March 26, 2017

During Season 1, it was revealed that the Western park is one of many available to the wealthy guest. This could make for an unexpected plot in the second season. Some fans have speculated that the upcoming season may feature another theme completely, such as the Samurai park; however, this is unlikely.

Westworld showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy revealed to EW that the next season will delve into the production of hosts.

“Their construction and their power source is something we’re really going to get into during Season 2. So we’d like to keep that mysterious. They’re closer to biological than they are to mechanical, but they don’t suffer brain death the same way we do. They’re largely indistinguishable from a human beings [sic], but their brains don’t require oxygen — which opens up interesting possibilities,” Nolan said during the interview.

During the first season, we saw many guest form emotional bonds with the host. Evan Rachel Wood’s Delores, along with Thandie Newton’s character Maeve, discover that their lives are a lie. The founder of the park, Robert Ford, revealed his desire to give the host free will in the series finale. And like Arnold, he orders Delores to kill him.

During the EW interview, Jonathan Nolan continued talking about the differences in host and humans and what fans can expect.

“Their brains are not as fragile as ours. On one hand, their cognition is controllable and malleable, but on a structural level they can’t be killed in the same way you and I can. There are advantages and disadvantages to being a host. Season 2 we’ll be exploring more the nuts and bolts of what they are— as the hosts themselves are trying to understand.”

Ed Harris is one of the few cast members that has confirmed his return for Season 2. Harris played The Man in Black, who served as a villain in the series. Talulah Riley, who played host Angela, has been upgraded to a series regular for Season 2, according to Deadline. Jamie Simpson, who played a younger William, will likely not return as the character has likely ran his course.

Westworld Season 2 will likely have a time jump and will not continue right after the events of the finale. However, the second season will address what happened when the host went wrong and attacked the guest. It will be interesting to see if the hosts are brought under control or they escape into the real world.

What are your theories about the second season?

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[Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]