New ‘Westworld’ Trailer Is Terrifying

Drew Dietsch
TV
TV

Westworld, the 1973 sci-fi thriller from Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton, is getting a swank remake over at HBO. Headed up by the likes of J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan, this new version looks to be a sleek, dark take on the original concept. A western-themed resort filled with automatons goes haywire when the machines begin to malfunction and question their own existence. Classic, Blade Runner-esque premise dressed up in cowboy garb? Sounds too good to be true.

Well, it is true and we’ve got a new trailer for you to ogle. We should note that there is some mature content in here, so we’ll throw up the NSFW for those of you with nosy co-workers.

Take a look:

That looks like a horror movie. Being a rabid horror fan, that’s an enormous compliment. The original film has a great premise but clunky execution. The HBO series has the budget and style to really bring out the terror and existential eerieness of the concept. It doesn’t hurt when you have a cast as good as this. Anthony Hopkins is somber and creepy as the park’s creator, Dr. Robert Ford. We’ve also got Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, and Clifton Collins Jr. in the mix. This is a dream team of talent.

Is it the next “big one” for HBO?

Described as “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin,” Westworld looks like it could be the big genre show HBO has been hoping will kick off once Game of Thrones finally comes to an end. How long could a show about Westworld and its inhabitants last? Would the androids end up taking over and forming their own society? Will some of them side with the humans who have come to the park to indulge in their pleasures? And like the original, are there more themed resorts like a Romanworld or a Medievalworld? There seems to be plenty of places such a unique and stylish show could go.

Westworld will premiere on October 2. Might be a good time to dust off that DVD of the original and see just how different this take is going to be.

Drew Dietsch
Drew Dietsch has been professionally writing about entertainment for over a decade. His bylines include FANDOM - where he was a founding contributor and Entertainment Editor - Bloody Disgusting, SYFY WIRE, and more. He created and hosts GenreVision, a weekly film discussion show at genrevision.com.