Moviefone Editorial

Tag: @tvprogram:383260

  • HBO Renews ‘Westworld’ for Season 3

    Only two weeks into its sophomore outing, HBO has decided to renew hit series “Westworld” for a third season.

    In announcing the renewal, HBO programming president Casey Bloys praised the twisty sci-fi drama for its ingenuity, and vouched for its future on the premium cable outlet.

    “It’s been an extraordinary pleasure to work with the exceptionally talented [executive producers] Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, as well as their gifted cast and crew,” Bloys said in a statement. “From the inspired storytelling to the incredible visuals, we are so excited to see where the next chapter will take us.”

    As The Hollywood Reporter notes, it’s currently unclear when season three is expected to premiere, since more than a year elapsed between the end of season one in October of 2016 and the beginning of season two in late April of this year. That large gap was to allow Nolan and Joy time to finish writing before production began, in an effort to avoid repeating the delays that marred production on the show’s freshman season.

    Whatever complications went on behind the scenes seemed to have no effect on “Westworld,” though, with the show scoring big with critics and fans alike. HBO, soon saying goodbye to “Game of Thrones,” is no doubt eager to keep another buzzy series on the air as long as possible.

    Season two of “Westworld” is airing now on HBO.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • ‘Westworld’ Season 2 Premiere Revived Interesting Fan Theory

    The jam-packed “Westworld” Season 2 premiere raised a lot of questions, including one that revived an intriguing fan theory.

    There are spoilers from “Westworld” Season 2, Episode 1 ahead!

    When the Man in Black (Ed Harris) awoke in premiere episode to the aftermath of the massacre, he spotted a character familiar to fans: a wolf. The creature was sniffing around the carnage, much as it had been in flashbacks we saw in Season 1. Some viewers were particularly struck by its appearance — not so much because it had appeared on the show before, but because they thought they knew it from another show. Fans on Reddit, Twitter, and other social media sites were quick to suggest that the “Westworld” wolf is actually Nymeria, one of the “Game of Thrones” direwolves.

    The theory — which also cropped up after Season 1 — is interesting because if Nymeria is indeed wandering around “Westworld,” some fans say that Westeros from “Game of Thrones” could be one of the parks that Delos Destinations owns.

    It would be one serious, surprising twist, that’s for sure. Imagine if Cersei (Lena Headey) was really just a vacationing woman getting her twisted kicks and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was actually a host. Hmm… It might actually explain some things.

    Still, we don’t really think it’s true, and the fans talking about it on Twitter don’t seem to, either. Most are just expressing surprise, confusion, and delight at seeing what looks like a Stark direwolf wandering Westworld.

    “Westworld” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

    [via: Reddit; h/t: Cosmopolitan UK]

  • ‘Westworld’ Season 2 Premiere Dropped an Interesting Hint About Another Park

    The “Westworld” Season 2 premiere was like a rude awakening from a deep and dreamless sleep: There was almost too much to take in.

    Hidden amid the episode’s many big developments and bloody moments were interesting clues that we hope will become clear, either later this season or in ones to come. The hints were not only about the park itself but also the company that owns it. One, in particular, gave us some insight into another Delos destination: Park 6.

    There are spoilers from “Westworld” Season 2, Episode 1 ahead!

    Toward the end of the Season 2 premiere, several Delos employees were trying to locate Westworld’s hosts. As they drew closer to the spot where the androids appeared to be congregating, the group stumbled across “one of the first anomalies” that came up on the live scan. Lying dead in the mud was a Bengal tiger.

    “That’s definitely not supposed to be here,” one man said.

    “We’ve got Bengals in Park 6,” security chief Ashley Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth) replied. “We’ve never had a stray cross park borders.”

    Just what the theme of Park 6 is, we don’t yet know, but we can safely say the park is not the Edo-inspired Shogun World, which the show’s co-creators have been teasing. On Delos Destinations’ website, Westworld is Park 1 and Shogun World is Park 2, while Parks 4, 5, and 6 are all still untitled.

    The Bengal tiger helps narrow down the possibilities. The animals live in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Napal, Myanmar, and China, according to WWF. Interestingly, the episode also briefly included a Chinese-speaking character, as EW pointed out. The man was an unnamed military officer whose presence angered Delos’ Karl Strand (Gustaf Skarsgard). Of course, the two events might be unrelated, so we’ll remain on the lookout for further clues about Park 6 — and the others — as we watch in the coming weeks.

    “Westworld” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

  • Evan Rachel Wood Explains Why She Turned Down ‘Mean Girls’

    Westworld.” Before that, she was mostly known for roles in indie films — but she was almost in “Mean Girls.”

    ERW was on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last night, and Tina Fey was a fellow guest. Evan said she loves Tina Fey, and “Mean Girls.” Jimmy asked if it’s true that she had auditioned for that movie.

    Evan: “No, it’s even worse. I turned it down.”

    The audience groaned.

    Jimmy: “What?!”

    Evan: “There’s a good reason! The only reason is because I was already supposed to do a film called ‘Pretty Persuasion’ that was set in a high school, that was very ‘Heathers’-esque, and it was very similar [to ‘Mean Girls’]. And I was already kind of doing that. So I was like, I can’t. But Tina, if you’re here, I’m so sorry we got off on the wrong foot. As long as the next movie you’re doing is not about a robot uprising, I will happily, happily [do it].”

    Jimmy joked that, sadly, that’s Tina’s next movie.

    “Mean Girls” came out in 2004. “Pretty Persuasion” came out in 2005, starring ERW, Ron Livingston, James Woods, and Jane Krakowski.

    Clearly Evan doesn’t have ESPN or she would’ve sensed that “Mean Girls” was going to be the much bigger movie. But after “Thirteen” and “Pretty Persuation,” you can’t blame her for wanting to break away from the high-school roles for fear of typecasting. Good for Rachel McAdams (Regina George), while we’re on the subject, that she didn’t get stuck in the high school zone after “Mean Girls” and has instead had one of the best careers in Hollywood.

    Also — on a semi-related subject — Evan Rachel Wood and Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “House of Cards”) finally proved they are two different people:

    “Westworld” Season 2 premieres this Sunday, April 22 on HBO.

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  • ‘Westworld’ Season 2 Premiere Will Be One of Multiple Extra-Long Episodes

    Expect to go to bed late on April 22 — the “Westworld” Season 2 premiere is going to be a long one.

    The show’s co-creators, Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, are busy promoting their HBO drama’s sophomore season, and they recently teased multiple episodes that extend beyond 60 minutes, starting with the premiere. Like last year’s inaugural episode, the first of Season 2 will give us plenty of bang for our buck. Joy and Nolan told EW the first episode of “Westworld” Season 2 will surpass 70 minutes in length.

    Later in the season, we’ll get to see some more supersized episodes. The co-creators named Episode 4 as another that will last more than an hour. Finally, to end the season, they’ll give us an episode that they say is “a bit of an epic” and keeps “going and going.” That’s also consistent with Season 1, which concluded with 90-plus-minute finale.

    Those are all good things to hear. The show has a lot of ground to cover, especially after its explosive developments at the end of the first season. We’ll be ready to settle in for some long ones.

    “Westworld” returns April 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

    [via: EW]

  • ‘Westworld’ Creators Making Futuristic New Drama For Amazon

    Los Angeles Season 2 Premiere of the HBO Drama Series WESTWORLDThe creators of HBO’s “Westworld” are set to explore technology’s affect on society in the future again, this time on Amazon.

    Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy will produce the show, which is based on William Gibson’s futuristic sci-fi novel “The Peripheral.” Amazon outbid other competitors and gave the project a script-to-series order, bypassing the usual pilot process. Scott B. Smith, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of 1998’s “A Simple Plan,” will pen the script and produce alongside Nolan and Joy.

    The thriller follows Flynne Fisher, a woman in near-future America in which technology has started to subtly alter society. She temporarily takes her brother’s security job in a video game/virtual world, but Flynne soon discovers a hidden connection to a very different reality — and the dark future of her own. She witnesses what may have been a murder, which plunges her into a deep, twisting mystery.

    Gibson is considered the founder of the sci-fi subgenre known as cyberpunk and coined the term “cyberspace” in his 1982 short story “Burning Chrome.” “The Peripheral” also has a sequel, “Agency,” which will be published this month.

    Nolan and Joy, of course, have had plenty of success adapting sci-fi novels into TV shows, as they did with Michael Crichton’s “Westworld.” The HBO drama reaped 22 Emmy nominations and was the network’s most-watched freshman drama ever. The second season premieres April 22.

  • What’s New on TV, Netflix, Digital & DVD/Blu-ray This Week: April 16-22

    At a loss for what to watch this week? From new TV, we’ve got you covered.

    TV Worth Watching

    “Westworld” Season 2 (Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m.)
    Finally! A year-and-a-half after “Westworld” Season 1 froze our motor functions, Season 2 is ready to amp up the stakes big time. (Shogun World!) Bring yourself back online for a “Westworld” Season 1 marathon this Sunday, April 22 on HBO2 before the Season 2 premiere starts that night at 9 p.m. on HBO.

    “Scandal” Series Finale (Thursday on ABC at 10 p.m.)
    “Scandal” heads “Over a Cliff” for its series finale. That’s the name of Season 7, Episode 18, the last episode for Olivia Pope to handle. How will fans handle saying goodbye forever?

    “The Originals” Season 5 (Wednesday on The CW at 9 p.m.)
    As “Scandal” says goodbye, “The Originals” says hello to its final season — which is not all about Klaroline, although fan service will be paid. Season 5 starts with “Where You Left Your Heart,” as the now older Hope resorts to drastic measures to bring her father Klaus back to New Orleans.

    New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital

    “Peter Rabbit”
    The rebellious rabbit and friends bring their mischief to Digital/Movies Anywhere on Friday, April 20, then Blu-ray/DVD/4K Ultra HD on May 1. The all-star voice cast is led by James Corden as Peter, with Domhnall Gleeson as Mr. McGregor, and Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley as Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail. Blu-ray/Digital extras include the”Flopsy Turvy” Mini Movie; the Shake Your Cotton-Tail Dance Along; and peeks behind-the-scenes with the cast, director, and animators.

    “Winchester”
    Dame Helen Mirren stars as heiress Sarah Winchester in this haunted house horror thriller arriving on Digital Tuesday, April 17, then on DVD/Blu-ray/On Demand May 1. Extras include the featurette “Driven by the Spirits: The Making of Winchester.”

    “And Then I Go”
    Melanie Lynskey, Justin Long, Tony Hale, Carrie Preston, Melonie Diaz, Arman Darbo, Sawyer Barth, and Royalty Hightower star in this drama available on Digital and On Demand April 17. Here’s the trailer.

    “In the cruel world of junior high, Edwin suffers in a state of anxiety and alienation alongside his only friend, Flake. Misunderstood by their families and demoralized at school daily, their fury simmers quietly until an idea for vengeance offers them a terrifying release. Based on the acclaimed novel ‘Project X’ by Jim Shepard, this unflinching look at adolescence explores how the powerful bonds of childhood friendship and search for belonging can become a matter of life or death.”

    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    “The Post”
    Director Steven Spielberg wrangled Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks for this Oscar-nominated historical drama about the Pentagon Papers. The film arrives on DVD/Blu-ray/4K Ultra HD on Tuesday, April 17. Extras include 90 minutes of bonus content on the real life events and the journey to bring it to the big screen.

    “The Commuter”
    You don’t want to mess with Liam Neeson on his daily commute. Watch what happens in this action thriller costarring Vera Farmiga, Jonathan Banks, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth McGovern, and Sam Neill. The film arrives on Blu-ray/DVD/4K Ultra HD on April 17. Extras include two making-of featurettes.

    “Genius”
    Geoffrey Rush plays Albert Einstein in this 10-episode journey into the life of the legend. Emily Watson and Johnny Flynn also star in the series, which arrives on DVD April 17. Extras include behind-the-scenes the featurettes “Meet the Characters,” “Einstein’s Love Life,” “Einstein’s Escape from Hitler,” “The Making of Genius,” “Behind the Scenes with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer,” “Behind the Scenes with the Cast,” “Costumes and Makeup,” “What Does ‘Genius’ Mean?” and “Two Einsteins.”

    New on Netflix

    “Dope” Season 2 (Netflix Original)
    Netflix likes to drop its originals on Fridays, and this Friday is 4/20. So what better way to celebrate than with “Dope”! The second season of this docuseries continues to follow the war on drugs from the perspectives of dealers, users, and the police.

    “Dude” (Netflix Film)
    Here’s another one for 4/20. Lucy Hale, Alex Wolff, Alexandra Shipp, Awkwafina, and Kathryn Prescott star in this comedy/drama about four friends riding the highs of high school who bond over relationships, drugs, and living their best lives. Check out the trailer.

    “Mercury 13” (Netflix Original)
    This documentary tells the true story of the women who fought for their place in the 1960s space race, only to see their dreams dissolve when only men were selected to become astronauts. Here’s the trailer; the doc drops this Friday.

    “Spy Kids: Mission Critical” Season 1 (Netflix Original)
    This animated spinoff of the “Spy Kids” franchise premieres April 20. Brother-and-sister team Juni and Carmen Cortez attend Spy Kids Academy, a top school for kid agents, and must battle the diabolical forces of S.W.A.M.P. (Sinister Wrongdoers Against Mankind’s Preservation) without the help of their super-spy parents.

    “Kodachrome” (Netflix Film)
    Ed Harris, Jason Sudekis and Elizabeth Olsen star in this father/son bonding road trip movie that premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last fall and will be released by Netflix on April 20. The drama is set in the final days of the photo processing system Kodachrome, as a dying photographer and his estranged son try to reach a Kansas photo lab before it closes its doors forever. Here’s the trailer.

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  • ‘Westworld’ Actor Debunks ‘One of the Weirdest’ Fan Theories He’s Heard

    “Westworld” is a unique show, so is it any surprise that the fan theories about it are equally so?

    For every twist and turn the show has given us, fans have come up with millions more options for where the show could go. Fan theories have been known to get pretty wild, and it seems like the cast enjoys these ideas. During a recent interview with the U.K.’s Independent, Jeffrey Wright (Bernard Shaw) shared a particularly strange one he heard.

    “One of the weirdest that I took in,” he said, “was the notion that because the weather never changes in ‘Westworld’ they must be in a biosphere underwater.”

    As creative as the idea is, it apparently doesn’t have any credence. Wright promptly debunked the theory, explaining, “I was like, ‘No dude, the weather doesn’t change because we shoot in LA.’”

    Fans aren’t the only ones who come up with ideas about the show’s secrets. Evan Rachel Wood (Dolores Abernathy) also spoke to the Independent and shared that she and her fellow “Westworld” actors got together during Season 2 and “compared notes.” Wood noted that “part of the fun is figuring things out” and thinks the audience will enjoy how complicated Season 2 is.

    “I’m excited to hear the theories because I think there’s going to be quite a lot of them,” she said.

    The upcoming episodes will explore the aftermath of Season 1, which ended in a host revolt. Let’s see if anyone can top the underwater biosphere idea.

    “Westworld” Season 2 premieres April 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

    [via: The Independent]

  • ‘Westworld’ Creators Release Season 2 ‘Spoiler’ Video as Promised

    As with everything on “Westworld,” even spoilers come with a twist.

    Yesterday on Reddit, “Westworld” creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy did an “Ask Me Anything” session, during which they addressed the spoilers, theories, and speculation that surrounded/plagued Season 1. Some Redditors guessed some of the show’s twists and turns, which was then reported by major media outlets, which spoiled a lot of non-spoiler seeking fans.

    To deal with the issue, Nolan and Joy said they would post a video that spoiled the entire second season.

    “Everything. The whole sordid thing. Up front,” they wrote. “That way the members of the community here who want the season spoiled for them can watch ahead, and then protect the rest of the community, and help to distinguish between what’s ‘theory’ and what’s spoiler.”

    That video was released, as promised, but well, there’s a twist. It starts off with Jeffrey Wright as Bernard musing about memories. And then Evan Rachel Wood (Dolores) and Angela Sarafyan (who plays Clementine) show up and begin reciting the lyrics to …

    Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

    “Westworld” fans just got Rickrolled.

    Rickrolling is one of the oldest Internet memes and involves a bait and switch, with a user clicking on a link that actually sends them to a video of Astley’s song. It’s a pretty funny move by Nolan, who not only is a trick-loving filmmaker (he co-wrote “The Prestige”) but is a longtime Redditor.

    “Westworld” Season 2 premieres April 22 on HBO.

  • ‘Westworld’ Creators Tease ‘Brutal and Beautiful’ Shogun World in Season 2

    Get ready to delve deeper into Delos Destinations’ twisted worlds.

    “Westworld” co-creators, Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, have been dropping hints about Shogun World and other parks owned by the fictional company for months. As Season 2 approaches, the two are finally getting more specific. Joy and Nolan chatted with EW about what’s to come, and they spilled some specifics about one park in particular, Shogun World, which we’ll see in multiple upcoming episodes.

    To be clear, the majority of “Westworld” Season 2 will take place in the park for which the show is named. Only one storyline will involve Shogun World, and we’ll only go there for “a couple episodes,” Nolan told EW. Meanwhile, other storylines will be set “elsewhere,” but that creators aren’t letting too much slip there. Nolan did, however, assure fans that the Shogun World scenes will be “spectacular.”

    With Shogun World, we’ll get to see another one of Delos Destinations’ experiences, one inspired by Japan’s Edo period but also films Nolan and Joy grew up watching, they told EW. The website DelosDestinations.com describes the world as follows:

    For those for whom Westworld is not enough, the true connoisseur of gore can indulge their fantasies with the slash of a katana. Modeled after Japan’s Edo period, Shogun World offers a chance for guests to embrace their inner warrior, in a landscape of highest beauty and darkest horror. Let your true self take shape in the land where self-discovery is an art form.

    From Shogun World, we’ll get “a sense of an alternately brutal and beautiful world,” Nolan said. And if you somehow didn’t think Westworld was enough, this is apparently the answer for you.

    We’ll see the unfamiliar park in “Westworld” Season 2, which premieres April 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

    [via: EW]