Westworld

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Westworld
Westworld Logo.jpg
Original film logo
Created by Michael Crichton
Original work Westworld (1973)
Owner Turner Entertainment [a]
Films and television
Film(s)
Television series
Games
Video game(s)

Westworld is an American science fiction dystopia media franchise that began with the 1973 film Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by androids that malfunction and begin killing the human visitors; it was followed by the sequel film Futureworld (1976). The franchise moved to television in 1980 with the series Beyond Westworld on CBS. In 2016, a new television series based on the original film debuted on HBO; the series broadcast four full seasons before being cancelled. [1]

Contents

Film series

Westworld (1973)

Westworld was the first theatrical feature novelist Michael Crichton directed, after one TV movie. [2] It was also the first feature film to use digital image processing to pixellate photography in order to simulate an android's point of view. [3] The film was nominated for Hugo, Nebula and Saturn awards. The film was well received by critics. [4]

The story is about amusement park robots that malfunction and begin killing visitors. It stars Yul Brynner as an android in a futuristic Western-themed amusement park, and Richard Benjamin and James Brolin as guests of the park.

Futureworld (1976)

Futureworld is the sequel to the Michael Crichton film. The sequel stars Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner, Arthur Hill, Stuart Margolin, John Ryan, and Yul Brynner, who makes a cameo appearance in a dream sequence. Other than Brynner, none of the cast members from the original film appear, and original writer-director Crichton and original studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer were not involved. [5]

The story is set two years after the Westworld tragedy, with the Delos corporation having reopened the park. The story starts when newspaper reporter Chuck Browning (Peter Fonda) and TV reporter Tracy Ballard (Blythe Danner) are invited to review the park. [5]

Principal cast

CharactersFilm
Westworld Futureworld
19731976
The Gunslinger Yul Brynner
Peter Martin Richard Benjamin
John Blane James Brolin
Chuck Browning Peter Fonda
Tracy Ballard Blythe Danner
Dr. Duffy Arthur Hill
Dr. Schneider John P. Ryan
Harry Stuart Margolin

Crew

RoleFilm
Westworld Futureworld
19731976
Director Michael Crichton Richard T. Heffron
ProducerPaul N. Lazarus III James T. Aubrey & Paul N. Lazarus III
Screenplay Michael Crichton Mayo Simon & George Schenck
Composer Fred Karlin
Editor David Bretherton James Mitchell
Cinematographer Gene Polito Gene Polito & Howard Schwartz
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer American International Pictures
Release dateNovember 21, 1973August 13, 1976
Running time88 minutes104 minutes

Television series

Beyond Westworld (1980)

Beyond Westworld was created by Michael Crichton which served as a continuation of the two feature films. [6] The series stars Jim McMullan as Security Chief John Moore of the Delos Corporation. The story revolved around Moore having to stop the evil scientist Simon Quaid, as he plans to use the Delos robots to try to take over the world. [7]

It premiered on March 5, 1980, on the television network CBS in the United States. The show was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup and Outstanding Art Direction For a Series. Only five episodes were produced, of which three aired before the series' cancellation due to poor ratings.

Westworld (2016–2022)

Westworld is an American science fiction-thriller television series created by husband-wife duo Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Nolan serves as executive producer along with Joy, J. J. Abrams and Bryan Burk. [8] The series takes place in fictional Westworld, a technologically advanced, Western-themed amusement park populated completely by synthetic androids dubbed "Hosts". Westworld caters to high-paying visitors dubbed "Newcomers" (also known as "Guests"), who can do whatever they wish within the park, without fear of retaliation from the Hosts.

Westworld premiered on October 2, 2016, on the cable television channel HBO in the United States. [9] The series has been well received. [10] [11] The series has also attained strong Nielsen ratings for HBO, with the U.S. series premiere attracting 1.96 million viewers. [12] A second season began on April 22, 2018, and a third season on March 15, 2020. Season 4 debuted on June 26, 2022. In November 2022 it was announced that HBO had cancelled Westworld. [13]

Video games

A first-person shooter based on the film, titled Westworld 2000 , was released in 1996. [14]

A mobile game was released on 2018. After a lawsuit by Bethesda Games accusing Warner of copying Fallout Shelter was settled, the game was shut down in 2019. [15]

An action game based on the TV series, titled Westworld Awakening, was released in 2019 for virtual reality headsets. [16] [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yul Brynner</span> Russian-born actor (1920–1985)

Yuliy Borisovich Briner, known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical The King and I (1951), for which he won two Tony Awards, and later an Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1956 film adaptation. He played the role 4,625 times on stage and became known for his shaved head, which he maintained as a personal trademark long after adopting it for The King and I.

<i>Westworld</i> (film) 1973 science fiction film directed by Michael Crichton

Westworld is a 1973 American science fiction Western film written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film follows guests visiting an interactive amusement park containing lifelike androids that unexpectedly begin to malfunction. The film stars Yul Brynner as an android in the amusement park, with Richard Benjamin and James Brolin as guests of the park.

<i>Futureworld</i> 1976 film by Richard T. Heffron

Futureworld is a 1976 American science fiction thriller film directed by Richard T. Heffron and written by Mayo Simon and George Schenck. It is a sequel to the 1973 Michael Crichton film Westworld, and is the second installment in the Westworld franchise. The film stars Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner, Arthur Hill, Stuart Margolin, John Ryan, and Yul Brynner, who makes an appearance in a dream sequence; no other cast member from the original film appears. Westworld's writer-director, Michael Crichton, and the original studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer were not involved in this production. Composer Fred Karlin was retained.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Nolan</span> British and American screenwriter (born 1976)

Jonathan Nolan is a British and American screenwriter and producer. He is the creator of the CBS science fiction series Person of Interest (2011–2016) and co-creator of the HBO science fiction/Western series Westworld (2016–2022).

<i>Beyond Westworld</i> Television series

Beyond Westworld is a 1980 American television series based on the 1973 film Westworld, which was written and directed by Michael Crichton. Although the DVD box cover mentions that it follows the film's events, it ignored the 1976 film sequel Futureworld.

<i>Eternam</i> 1992 video game

Eternam is a graphical adventure game from Infogrames, released originally in 1992 for MS-DOS. A CD-ROM version with full speech was published in 1993. The game was developed by Hubert Chardot, who is better remembered from his Lovecraft-themed games Shadow of the Comet and Prisoner of Ice. While the game is mainly a two-dimensional adventure game, it contains a three-dimensional subgame, which pays homage to Drakkhen, a roleplaying game from Infogrames. This game was re-released digitally on GOG.com in mid 2019.

<i>Westworld</i> (TV series) American dystopian science fiction Western television series (2016–2022)

Westworld is an American dystopian science fiction Western television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy that first aired on October 2, 2016, on HBO. It is based upon the 1973 film of the same name written and directed by Michael Crichton and loosely upon its 1976 sequel, Futureworld.

"The Original" is the first episode in the first season premiere of the HBO science fiction western thriller television series Westworld. The teleplay was written by series co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who also receive story credit with Michael Crichton, writer and director of the 1973 film upon which the series is based. The episode was directed by Nolan, and is dedicated to the memory of Eddie Rouse, who played Kissy.

"Chestnut" is the second episode in the first season of the HBO science fiction western thriller television series Westworld. The episode aired on October 9, 2016, but was released two days prior online by HBO. The episode received positive reviews from critics.

<i>Westworld</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the American science fiction western television series Westworld, subtitled The Maze, premiered on HBO on October 2, 2016, and concluded on December 4, 2016, consisting of ten episodes.

<i>Westworld</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American science fiction western television series Westworld, subtitled The Door, premiered on HBO on April 22, 2018, and concluded on June 24, 2018, consisting of ten episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Joy</span> American screenwriter and executive producer

Lisa Joy is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and lawyer. She is best known as the co-creator, writer, director, and executive producer of the HBO science-fiction drama series Westworld (2016–2022). For her work on the series, she received multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Joy's other work includes the ABC comedy series Pushing Daisies (2007–2009) and the USA Network crime drama series Burn Notice (2009–2011). In 2021, she made her feature film directorial debut with Reminiscence.

"Reunion" is the second episode in the second season of the HBO science fiction western thriller television series Westworld. The episode aired on April 29, 2018. It was written by Carly Wray and Jonathan Nolan, and directed by Vincenzo Natali.

"The Riddle of the Sphinx" is the fourth episode in the second season of the HBO science fiction western thriller television series Westworld. The episode aired on May 13, 2018. It was written by Gina Atwater and Jonathan Nolan, and directed by Lisa Joy. The episode received critical acclaim and is often cited as one of the best episodes of the show.

"Kiksuya" is the eighth episode in the second season of the HBO science fiction western thriller television series Westworld. The episode aired on June 10, 2018. It was written by Carly Wray and Dan Dietz and was directed by Uta Briesewitz.

<i>Westworld</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American science fiction dystopian television series Westworld, subtitled The New World, premiered on HBO on March 15, 2020, and concluded on May 3, 2020, consisting of eight episodes.

"Parce Domine" is the first episode in the third season premiere of the HBO science fiction dystopian thriller television series Westworld. The episode aired on March 15, 2020. It was written by series co-creators Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, and directed by Nolan.

"The Winter Line" is the second episode in the third season of the HBO science fiction dystopian thriller television series Westworld. The episode aired on March 22, 2020. It was written by Matthew Pitts and series co-creator Lisa Joy, and directed by Richard J. Lewis. The episode served as Thandie Newton's pick to support her nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

<i>Westworld</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth and final season of the American science fiction dystopian television series Westworld, subtitled The Choice, premiered on HBO on June 26, 2022, and concluded on August 14, 2022, consisting of eight episodes. In November 2022, HBO announced it had canceled the series.

References

  1. ↑ Rice, Lynette (October 8, 2022). "'Westworld': Jonathan Nolan Drops Hint At New York Comic-Con About Fifth And Final Season Negotiations". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Westworld". Tcm.com. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  3. ↑ A Brief, Early History of Computer Graphics in Film Archived 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine , Larry Yaeger, 16 Aug 2002 (last update), retrieved 24 March 2010
  4. ↑ "Westworld (1973)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Variety Staff. December 31, 1975. "Futureworld", Variety .
  6. ↑ "Beyond Westworld". The New York Times .
  7. ↑ "Beyond Westworld DVD news: Announcement for Beyond Westworld - The Complete Series - TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on August 1, 2014.
  8. ↑ Gelman, Vlada (August 31, 2013). "HBO Greenlights Sci-Fi Pilot Westworld From J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan". TVLine. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  9. ↑ Prudom, Laura (July 30, 2016). "'Westworld,' 'Divorce,' 'Insecure' Set HBO Premiere Dates". Variety. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Westworld: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Westworld: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  12. ↑ Holloway, Daniel (October 3, 2016). "TV Ratings: 'Westworld' Premiere Matches 'True Detective' Season 1". Variety . Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  13. ↑ Hibberd, James (November 4, 2022). "HBO Cancels 'Westworld' in Shock Decision". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Westworld 2000". Next Generation . No. 27. March 1997. p. 98.
  15. ↑ Alexander, Julia (January 16, 2019). "Westworld mobile game is shutting down following lawsuit settlement". The Verge . Retrieved April 1, 2024. has the same or highly similar game design, art style, animations, features, and other gameplay elements
  16. ↑ Burke, Ron (September 18, 2019). "Violent Virtual Delights — Westworld Awakening VR review". Gaming Trend. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ Coles, Jason (August 19, 2019). "Westworld: Awakening Review – A Haunting VR Experience". UploadVR. UVR Media, LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Just Give 'Em Whiskey by Colourbox - Samples, Covers and Remixes | WhoSampled". WhoSampled .

Notes

  1. ↑ Except for Futureworld owned by Amazon MGM Studios
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