J.J. Abrams Developing a Westworld TV Series for HBO

Posted by on September 4th, 2013   Filed under: Sci-fi, TV, Western
Source: Deadline

westworldtv

J.J. Abrams is adding yet another TV show to his mountain of projects currently in development, this one marking the first time he has ventured outside the realm of network TV. HBO has reportedly ordered a pilot episode for Westworld, a new sci-fi series based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 movie of the same name. The film revolves around a futuristic amusement park where robots are used to recreate various time periods including Ancient Rome, the Middle Ages and the Wild West. Yul Brynner plays a robot gunslinger who malfunctions and starts to hunt down visitors. It’s unclear how closely they plan to follow the movie, but the new series is described as “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin.”

According to Deadline, Westworld will be produced by J.J. Abrams, Jonathan Nolan, and Jerry Weintraub. Nolan is currently attached to direct the pilot and also co-wrote the script with Lisa Joy (Burn Notice). He and Abrams previously collaborated on the CBS show Person of Interest.

Back in 1980, CBS also attempted a TV series based on Westworld called Beyond Westworld, but only three episodes aired before it was cancelled. Interestingly, Warner Brothers previously tried to set up a big screen remake starring Arnold Schwarzenegger with Tarsem directing, but it never came to fruition. Either way, science-fiction is one of the few genres that HBO has yet to touch and with AMC currently developing a futuristic drama with Joseph Kosinski that is being billed as Blade Runner meets Battlestar Galactica, this could be great news for sci-fi fans. Would you watch a Westworld HBO series from J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan?



  • Colin

    Oh god yes… I love Westworld and want to see more things happen in that universe.

  • devolutionary

    As Sean will consistently comment…”…Interesting!”. I’d like to see who would potentially be cast in Yul Brenner’s robotic cowboy role.

  • Bas

    “… the holiday became a HORROR-DAY!” – that line is so bad, it’s good :)

    I vote for Jospeh Gatt in the Yul Brynner role. He was scary-ass “albino” in Banshee.

  • Bas

    Haha, that’s Joseph Gatt of course :)

  • Bas

    Apparently I’m not the only one who thought of him: pic.twitter.com/PFu6NpQeG8

  • DanLorien

    HBO should not be recycling old concepts— leave that to the rest of Hollywood.

    In an appearance on Howard Stern, JJ Abrams could not explain what the island was on Lost. To me that says everything about his creative integrity.

  • Wayne Regier

    Why?

  • inebriates

    I haven’t seen Banshee, but holy hell Joseph Gatt is the spitting image of an Observer from Fringe. The fact that they didn’t put him into the final season is pretty disappointing.

  • Deven Science

    The movie still totally holds up. I watched it a couple of years ago, and it’s still incredible. Yul Brynner’s creepy-cool stare can’t be matched.

  • Jason Andrew Wendleton

    Hey J.J. save some Sci-Fi properties for the other kids!