Although the update to the show’s site at DiscoverWestworld.com isn’t obvious initially, visitors soon experience an interruption on the site’s homepage from an “Unknown User” making a plea for help. That message is then interrupted by a “Registered User,” who reassures visitors that “all is well” and “celebrations continue” within the artificially created, interactive Wild West theme park.
Fans of the series will likely note a few other intriguing elements in the update, including a screen that indicates the “Journey Into Night” narrative is loading. This narrative was name-dropped in the first season’s explosive final episode, and reports suggest that the new narrative described by Anthony Hopkins’ character in that episode will provide both the title of second season’s premiere episode and the underlying theme of the season.
The update also includes some promotion of the show’s upcoming presence at Comic-Con International in San Diego, advising visitors to: “Plan your adventure in our newest experience center, opening in San Diego.” HBO has a panel planned for the convention on Saturday, July 22, that will feature much of the show’s cast and creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.
Anyone exploring beyond the homepage of the site will discover a new interactive session with Aiden, the automated guide to the site. The importance of the “Journey Into Night” narrative is mentioned again in Aiden’s dialogue.
Inspired by novelist Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same name (which he wrote and directed), Westworld is set in and around a Western-themed adventure park populated by artificially intelligent robots whose primary directive is to indulge the desires of human guests, no matter how noble or depraved. When the android inhabitants of the park begin to question the nature of their existence, the lines between the brutal realities of the theme park and the outside human world begin to blur.
The first season of Westworld premiered October 2, 2016, and ran for 10 episodes on HBO. The season received positive reviews from critics and was one of the most-watched seasons of original programming on HBO. The show was renewed for another 10-episode season set to premiere at some point in 2018.
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