'Westworld' is a science fiction thriller television series on HBO. (Photo : YouTube/HBO)
HBO's buzzy sci-fi drama "Westworld" is returning for a second season. The premium cable network has officially renewed the series on Nov. 14, Monday.
With seven episodes aired, HBO is giving "Westworld" that boost of confidence that not all scripted shows get during their first season. Aside from the show's glowing reviews and huge following, "Westworld" has been recording top ratings for the cable network. It is currently averaging a total of 11.7 million viewers across all HBO's platforms each week, surpassing the numbers recorded by Game of Thrones in the first year, Hollywood Reporter has learned.
No official plot details were revealed following the announcement. However, there have been discussions about the premiere date of "Westworld" Season 2. HBO programming president Casey Bloys said that it's likely that they will release the second season sometime in 2018 due to production challenges, Entertainment Weekly reported.
"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," Bloys said. "They're going to have to map it out and write the scripts. But my guess is sometime in '18.'"
Bloys also gave an early comment about the storylines that will be explored by co-showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy in the new installment. He said that they do not exactly know what viewers can expect in the next season of "Westworld." However, the showrunners believe that Season 2 will be full of surprises and original content.
Some critics have said that "Westworld" is nothing but a modern "Jurassic Park" considering that the plot does revolve around bringing back the past. Instead of dinosaurs, the new show tries to bring back the old west.
"Westworld" is a TV adaptation of the 1973 film of the same name. It is set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past where robots and humans interact inside a park where the guests can indulge in every fantasy as they wish. The series stars Angela Sarafyan, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Barnes, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, Jimmi Simpson, Jeffrey Wright and Luke Hemsworth among others.
"Westworld" airs every Sunday at 9PM on HBO.
