Future seasons of HBO’s Westworld may explore different worlds

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

After what seemed like a very long wait, HBO's Westworld debuted this past Sunday to favourable reviews (check out our own Chris Bumbray's take on the first episode), strong ratings and left many wondering what the future of the series would bring. If you're familiar with the Michael Crichton film on which the series is based, West World wasn't the only theme park which Delos offered. Although much of the action took place in West World, the film also introduced us to Medieval World and Roman World. Based on the size of the park and amount of characters which populate it, HBO's series still has plenty to explore, but will we get to see different worlds in future seasons? Westworld production designer Zack Grobler recently told Inverse that it's possible, but just not in the first season.

For the first season, we only explore the West World. 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.

As the series apparently already has its next five seasons planned out, I imagine that showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy know perfectly well which additional Delos attractions we'll see and when. Nolan told Deadline that "the film’s story was virtually limitless and so is television at this moment with audiences enjoying shows that break out of their traditional story structures. We definitely look to fully exploit that aspect of storytelling in Westworld.” Here's what HBO has to say about Westworld's second episode, titled "Chestnut", which airs on October 9th.

A pair of guests, first-timer William (Jimmi Simpson) and repeat visitor Logan (Ben Barnes), arrive at Westworld with different expectations and agendas. Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) and Quality Assurance head Theresa Cullen (Sidse Babett Knudsen) debate whether a recent host anomaly is contagious. Meanwhile, behavior engineer Elsie Hughes (Shannon Woodward) tweaks the emotions of Maeve (Thandie Newton), a madam in Sweetwater’s brothel, in order to avoid a recall. Cocky programmer Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman) pitches his latest narrative to the team, but Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) has other ideas. The Man in Black (Ed Harris) conscripts a condemned man, Lawrence (Clifton Collins, Jr.), to help him uncover Westworld’s deepest secrets.