1973 was a busy year for Michael Crichton with the release of “Westworld”, a sci-fi thriller that not only had a theme park but it also gave us robot cowboys. If that didn’t get you excited then maybe the modern adaptation of “Westworld” will. HBO has announced that the old classic is getting a series order with Jonathan Nolan (Interstellar,TV show Person of Interest) at the helm of the pilot episode and with J.J Abrams as executive producer. The adaptation will come alive with the help of Jerry Weintraub (“Behind the Candelabra”) who will produce the show. Lisa Joy, Nolan’s wife is also writing the pilot episode alongside her husband.
The idea behind “Westworld” is about a robot malfunction that “creates havoc and terror for unsuspecting vacationers at a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park.” It appears that Nolan’s and Abram’s team-up will delve more deeply into the richly detailed lore of artificial intelligence promising to be a “dark oddyssey about artificial intelligence and the future of sin”. A more modern approach to an already ageless concept will no doubt prove to be a win for HBO’s part as the old “Westworld” already has under its belt a sequel “Futureworld” and a brief aired TV show called “Beyond Westworld”.
This attempt of breathing new air into the property has run into a bit of an obstacle course over time as Quentin Tarantino, Russel Crowe and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been attached at some point to the project. This of course has not stopped other well known stars to step into the spotlight. Actors such as Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Evan Rachel Wood are set to appear in the show just to name a few. The modern approach of “Westworld” will also focus more on the robot side changing the narrative of the movie and putting the human side on the sidelines.
Jonathan Nolan has already established himself as one of the top Hollywood scribes of our time with his keen taste for realism and grounded characters. Not to mention J.J Abrams who is currently directing not one but two of the most beloved franchises of all time: the rebooted Star Trek franchise and Star Wars: Episode VII. “Westworld” is another property that will surely get the Abrams magic. HBO has not disclosed yet when the show will be airing exactly but expect to see “Westworld” coming out sometime in 2015.