17 Things You Didn’t Know About HBO’s ‘Westworld’

HBO’s newest hit, Westworld, is a certified sensation. Its mix of jarring violence, heady philosophy, and gung-ho adventure, has captured the attention of a horde of new fans. The entire world is going crazy about an amusement park that caters to an adult’s darkest desires, with all the sex and violence that goes along with it. The life and times of the “hosts” and the employees who oversee operations, has become a much discussed topic on social media as increasingly diehard fans ask what, exactly, is going on at Westworld. While the show takes its time to reveal the mysteries at the core of the park, it’s easy to overlook some of the fascinating facts at the core of the real world production.

1. Rumor Suggests that Quentin Tarantino Was Asked to Helm the Reboot, But He Declined

2. The Budget for the First Season of ‘Westworld’ Was Right Around $100 Million Dollars

3. This is the Second TV Adaptation of ‘Westworld’

In 1980, CBS aired three episodes of Beyond Westworld before it was summarily cancelled. It wasn’t good.

4. “Homeland” Vet Miranda Otto Was Cast as Operation Manager Cullen Before Leaving the Show

5. A Single Day in Westworld Costs $40,000 Per Person

In the original film, it only cost a grand, and you even got to visit other timelines.

6. The Showrunners Avoid Fan Theories Because They Don’t Want to Read an Idea That’s Better than What They’re Actually Doing

They love all the theories, they just don’t want to come face to face with ideas that are more creative than theirs.

7. Old-Timey Covers of Modern Songs Abound

At one point in the saloon, you can hear a player-piano plunking through an awesome cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”.

8. There’s Evidence to Suggest the 1973 Film and the Show Are Connected

Certain sections of the park, like cold storage, look like repurposed buildings that were not originally intended for their function. It seems as though the show’s park has been built on the bones of a previous park, perhaps the one from the film, which may have shut down in the wake of the calamity from the first movie.

9. The Behaviorists Use Verbal Commands Pulled From Software Code

10. The Show Uses the Same Theme Featured in the 1973 Film

11. The Man in Black Rocks a LeMat 1861 Revolver

It features a 9-shot cylinder with a single 20 gauge shotgun barrel.

12. The “Westworld” Showrunner is Christopher Nolan’s Brother

And he didn’t get the job because of nepotism either. Jonathan Nolan has helped Chris pen some of his best films, including The Dark Knight, The Prestige, and the short story on which Memento was based.

13. “Westworld” Creator Michael Crichton Also Invented “Jurassic Park”

The man has a thing for terrifying amusement parks.

14. Westworld’s Head of Security, Ashley Stubbs, is a Hemsworth

He’s Chris and Liam’s brother, Luke.

15. Jonathan Nolan Considers Westworld to Take Place in a Time When Humans Aren’t the Narrative Focus Anymore

16. There are Five Planned Seasons, Which Means Showrunners Know How the Show Will End

17. Jonathan Nolan Has Publicly Stated That “Game of Thrones” Made “Westworld” Possible

The show that pushed the limit of intellect in television allowed for Westworld’s no-holds-barred take on the narrative form.