HBO cancels Westworld despite plans for final season


HBO won't be bringing Westworld back online.
The network has shockingly canceled its sci-fi series starring Evan Rachel Wood and Thandiwe Newton after four seasons, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
This marks a surprising end for a series positioned as a potential Game of Thrones level hit for HBO when it premiered in 2016. But ratings declined in the recent two seasons after some viewers complained that the show had become increasingly difficult to follow beginning in season two. Still, fans thought HBO would at least bring Westworld back for one more season to wrap everything up, as the season four finale, which aired in August, did not conclude show's central storylines.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy had also said they planned for a fifth and final season, which was set up by season four. Joy previously told Deadline that she and Nolan "have always had an ending in mind that we hope to reach. We have not quite reached it yet."
In a statement to Variety, HBO thanked Nolan and Joy, as well as the show's cast and crew, saying, "It's been a thrill to join them on this journey."
The decision came in the wake of David Zaslav taking over as CEO at Warner Bros. Discovery and imposing many cost-cutting measures, which included the cancellation of a Batgirl movie that had already been filmed. He defended his decisions on Thursday by saying that "we did not get rid of any show that was helping us."
As for Westworld, then, it turns out these violent delights don't have ends at all.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
Earth's seasons have gone wackadoodle
Under the radar It may have impacted biodiversity and evolution
-
How much does it cost to move? Here's how to budget and save.
the explainer Factors like move distance and the weight of your furnishings can affect the total cost — but there are several ways to economize
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play