'Westworld' season 2 news, release date: 10-episode run ordered; more light shed on Hosts' origin story
Ahead of its season 1 finale, sci-fi western thriller "Westworld" recently received an early season renewal from HBO.
Fans of the hit TV series can finally breathe a sigh of relief as HBO finally greenlit another season of "Westworld." After the first half of season 1 earned high viewership ratings and became the subject of much social media discussion, the premium cabler decided to order 10 more episodes from the program.
"We're thrilled that the saga of Westworld will continue for another season," showrunners/co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy said in a joint press statement. "During the lengthy journey to the screen, our incredibly talented actors, staff and crew became a family, and we look forward to the privilege of continuing this experience with them."
As fans know, the cyborgs of Westworld are not the typical robots people are used to seeing. What makes the series more appealing to viewers is the idea that it's almost impossible to tell who's human and who's a Host. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Nolan revealed that season 2 will explore the origin story of Hosts and other ways they operate.
"Their construction and their power source is something we're really going to get into during season 2," the EP teased. "So we'd like to keep that mysterious." He further added that since the Hosts are "closer to biological than they are to mechanical," their brains don't deplete the same way humans do. While they are difficult to distinguish from human beings, their brains do not require oxygen, which opens up a lot of possibilities.
The network is eyeing a late 2017 release for season 2 but due to the scale of shooting, an early 2018 premiere is also possible.
"Westworld" season 1 airs every Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
