With the premiere for the Westworld TV series just a few days away, the EPs hint at future details, and Ed Harris discusses the Man in Black.

This is going to be a packed weekend. Luke Cage dropped today, and right about the time us less dedicated fans (i.e. people who didn’t stay up all night last night after the 12:01 AM debut) finish plowing through the first season, the premiere episode for Westworld TV series drops. And though Luke Cage looks awesome, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more excited for Westworld. Now, if you’ve seen the original Westworld movie, or if you’ve been keeping up on the coverage, you’ll know that Westworld is actually part of a larger park / resort called Delos, which is also home to Roman World and Medieval World. And in talking with Deadline, EPs Johnathan Nolan, and Lisa Joy hinted they may be coming.

The Possibility of Medieval World and Roman World Showing up in the Westworld TV Series

Nolan indicated that if HBO picks the series up for a second season, that shooting is likely to continue at the western location, Melody Ranch in Newhall, CA. But when Deadline brought up the possibility of Roman and Medieval World with the EPs, Nolan said this:

“The film’s story was virtually limitless and so is television at this moment with audiences enjoying shows that break out of their traditional story structures. We definitely look to fully exploit that aspect of storytelling in Westworld.”

Which, while that’s definitely not a yes, it’s also not a no. It’s likely that Nolan and Joy already know if they’re headed that direction, as they’ve previously said that the show is mapped out for the next four or five seasons. So, what else did they have to say?

Flipping the Point of View in Westworld

According to Nolan, it was J.J. Abrams who came up with the idea to shift the viewpoint from the original and change the Bad Guy (or as Nolan puts it “the dark, malevolent unstoppable forces of evil“) role from a robot gunslinger to one of the park’s patrons. “J.J. came to Lisa and I with the suggestion that Westworld wasn’t to be realized as a movie since it had been ripped off so many times and inspired a number of sci-fi films, but rather a TV series from the robots’ point of view.”

And when talking about the level of violence in the show, Nolan said this “The show is trying to have its cake and eat it too. We’re comfortable with that level of paradox. One of the questions that the show explores is around people’s choices in entertainment and the level of violence built into it and video games. The show doesn’t offer any answers, but we’re actively interested in that question and so are the hosts.”

Ed Harris and the Man in Black

In an interview with the LA times, Harris was asked if he had given his character, referred to simply as “The Man in Black,” a name. To which he replied, “He does have a name but I don’t want to reveal it.” And in talking more about his character, he had this to say about the function of Westworld in the lives of its patrons:

“I think the people that use the park [Westworld] in a positive way are open to learning something about themselves. And I think that’s what happened to my guy. Because when he initially came to the park he certainly wasn’t “The Man in Black.” In all his trips he’s identified this aspect of himself that was pretty violent and ruthless and was a part of his character that he didn’t really recognize until he came to the park. Part of it was, rightfully so, sublimated.”

So, there you have it. I can’t wait for Westworld TV series to start up on Sunday. And down the line, I think a trip to Roman World or Medieval World would be fascinating.

Featured Image: HBO