HBO’s $100-Million “Westworld” Premieres Tonight

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
Does this have the potential to be a hit on the level of Game of Thrones? We will get an idea when it airs later today. To quote an IMDb posting: “I feel bad for the maintenance guy who has to clean the female robots.”

Westworld features a cast of A-listers including Anthony Hopkins as the head of an ultra-realistic amusement park where visitors come to live out their most outrageous desires. The cast includes Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton and Ed Harris. (Hopkins and Harris are said to have scored $175,000 per episode each, with the latter potentially having only a two-year deal.) "The production value of this thing is preposterous," Abrams tells THR. "But it's HBO. That's what they do. There was no way that this idea, which Jonah and Lisa from the beginning were doing as a AAA experience — that HBO would compromise.
 
Never even seen the original movie this is based upon, might have to go looking for that here in a bit. Saw the trailer for this series a few weeks ago, it seems to be interesting on the surface and I - at first - expected it to just be a remake, not an entire series based on the original idea so I'll watch the first episode later tonight but if it's not up to snuff (regardless of whether I see the original movie or not beforehand) I may just pass on the rest.
 
aeliusg said:
Yikes, $100 million?
Click to expand...
if they do 13 episodes, it's only $7.8 million each, which isn't too bad.
The last seasons of Friends, the cast got $1mill each per episode, so that's $6 mill just for them for a 20 minute sitcom.

If it's $100 mill just for the premier episode, that is extremely high.
 
Insiders tell THR the overall budget for the first season of the 10-episode drama is in the $100 million range — on par with HBO's long-in-the-works rock drama Vinyl, which fizzled after one season earlier this year.
Sources peg the budget for the 90-minute Westworld pilot alone in the $25 million range, including reshoots, with some costs rolled to episode two as parts of the series debut were moved out of the premiere.
(For context: HBO scrapped the entire original Game of Thrones pilot, which had a price tag of $20 million.) The per-episode budget is said to be anywhere from $8 million to $10 million.
It's also worth noting that the drama hails from Warner Bros. Television, with HBO paying a massive licensing fee to its corporate sibling for Westworld, which is among the premium cabler's few studio buys.
Both share in the costs for the drama, with sources noting it's likely a 50-50 split and HBO serving as the lead on the series.

HBO's 'Westworld,' With $100 Million Pricetag, Faces Huge Expectations
 
It looks good. I watched the original movie within the last 6 months. It's basically Jurassic Park with cowboys. (I know Westworld was out first.)
I might have to enable my HBO subscription to watch this...I'll see what people say.
 
Does no one here remember the game? But yes, the show looks awesome. Don't make me dig up my ole disk for ya'll.
 
I am super excited for this. I had never heard of it until about a week ago when I saw a trailer on HBO. Looks like they realy went all in on this one. Probably trying to start a new revenue stream since GoT is winding down pretty soon.
 
I wish SyFy could afford to put that kind of money in a real sci-fi show and do The Expanse some justice. The books are so much better.

This thing stinks of drama but that's what HBO does. I wonder what could possibly be worth 10m for a GoT episode since there isn't anything special going on. Effects are laughable.
 
I'll watch the first episode and see if it holds my interest. If so, then I'll binge the series once the season wraps up. That's the only way I can watch TV now. :p
 
Wow, thanks for that! I had never heard of this. Gave me an erection. So indirectly, you, yeah... something to think about.
 
From the promos I've seen this should be good. I needed another Sunday show to watch now that Vice Principals and Ray Donovan are done.
 
Westworld was a great movie. The original Terminator.

Not sure about the series. Looks like their casting a Female as the main character (what a surprise), But I will watch anything with Ed Harris or Sir. Anthony Hopkins in it.
 
Krenum said:
Westworld was a great movie. The original Terminator.

Not sure about the series. Looks like their casting a Female as the main character (what a surprise), But I will watch anything with Ed Harris or Sir. Anthony Hopkins in it.
Click to expand...


Yeah lot of PC Hollywood going around, look at Van Helising on scifi opps syfy. Last time I check Van Helising was a man and dont get me started with the Ghostbusters.
 
dgz said:
I wish SyFy could afford to put that kind of money in a real sci-fi show and do The Expanse some justice. The books are so much better.
This thing stinks of drama but that's what HBO does. I wonder what could possibly be worth 10m for a GoT episode since there isn't anything special going on. Effects are laughable.
Click to expand...
I don't know how htey'd make money if they did that. I suspect they get less than $0.50/subscriber. That + ads ain't going to pay for a 10 million/episode series. Now if you pay 10/month for the station, they could ;)
 
Krenum said:
Westworld was a great movie. The original Terminator.

Not sure about the series. Looks like their casting a Female as the main character (what a surprise), But I will watch anything with Ed Harris or Sir. Anthony Hopkins in it.
Click to expand...

Just watched it. Been a long time since I've seen the movie, but I think this picks up 30 years after that one. They mention in the episode an incident that happened 30 years prior.
 
I vaguely remember the movie. I believe I saw it when I was like an 8 year old kid. I think I remember the cowboy seeing heat vision like the predator and the guy stood by a lantern or candle that gave off heat to disguise his heat signature. I think I'll go check out the movie before I watch this new HBO series. Looks interesting though.
 
nilepez said:
I don't know how htey'd make money if they did that. I suspect they get less than $0.50/subscriber. That + ads ain't going to pay for a 10 million/episode series. Now if you pay 10/month for the station, they could ;)
Click to expand...

Talking about SyFy, right? They are pretty much all in with the show as it is. A man can dream, though, a man can dream.
 
Guess it's just not my cup of tea, wasn't all that impressed with the first episode but I'll keep up with it I suppose. Can't really see how such a show can cost so much money in today's world but then again money rules it.
 
Meanwhile HBO is still $28 per month in Canuckistan.

I'll never see this series either.
 
I enjoyed it. Granting the bots reveries (leading to emerging concsiousness through accumulated experience) was a solid touch.
 
The first episode very much feels like a proof of concept more than an actual narrative. Meaning, you can go into the second episode and no exactly what's going on because the first episode doesn't really introduce anything other than the world.
 
I give most shows 3 episodes to make a judgement. Both stranger things and Game of Thrones weren't very good in the first 2 episodes (IMO of course) but grabbed me very well by the 3rd episode, I find most shows are like this.
 
twonunpackmule said:
The first episode very much feels like a proof of concept more than an actual narrative. Meaning, you can go into the second episode and no exactly what's going on because the first episode doesn't really introduce anything other than the world.
Click to expand...
It establishes that the machines are evolving and that the machines are probably the good guys.
 
nilepez said:
It establishes that the machines are evolving and that the machines are probably the good guys.
Click to expand...

Again, it feels like a proof of concept. Like, come second episode, you can get all that information within minutes. I'm pretty sure I'll be vindicated come second episode. If it weren't for the teaser of upcoming events, I wouldn't feel any momentum.

I'm sure the series will end up pretty great, the first episode is just mostly weaksauce. Poorly paced exposition.
 
100 million dollars and the trailer makes it look like a sci-fi channel budget of acting ability and script. I also watcthed the first episode. It was very good. That trailer is a crime to the show.
 
Last edited:
Going to have to disagree with you guys. I watched the first episode and am already hooked! Sir Anthony Hopkins creepy ass is just spectacular in everything he does, and this is no exception, but to keep it short so as not to give any spoilers, the basic premise itself is amazing, and is so relevant today considering the violent fantasies we play out in video games (GTA style for example), advancements in AI, crazy realistic silicon sex dolls, and automation (even if not so much in the actual robotics field).

A definite must-see IMO, and the attention to detail is really fantastic as always with HBO. That's the thing with so many other cheaper series and even movies is that so much simply doesn't make sense, or is just downright a blatant error with props that don't belong, that move around, cars that have scratched fenders on one scene and are fixed on the next or blow through a barricade undamaged because Dodge is a sponsor and didn't want the front end to look like crap, and just little things like that.

Really really great (and a bit dark obviously)!
 
Ducman69 said:
Going to have to disagree with you guys. I watched the first episode and am already hooked! Sir Anthony Hopkins creepy ass is just spectacular in everything he does, and this is no exception, but to keep it short so as not to give any spoilers, the basic premise itself is amazing, and is so relevant today considering the violent fantasies we play out in video games (GTA style for example), advancements in AI, crazy realistic silicon sex dolls, and automation (even if not so much in the actual robotics field).

A definite must-see IMO, and the attention to detail is really fantastic as always with HBO. That's the thing with so many other cheaper series and even movies is that so much simply doesn't make sense, or is just downright a blatant error with props that don't belong, that move around, cars that have scratched fenders on one scene and are fixed on the next or blow through a barricade undamaged because Dodge is a sponsor and didn't want the front end to look like crap, and just little things like that.

Really really great (and a bit dark obviously)!
Click to expand...


I'm still pissed off at HBO for canceling Deadwood, I unsubbed HBO that same day. But this almost makes me want to come back. I like the premise, I like sci-fi, and Anthony Hopkins is bad ass. I like the original film, even if it was weak in a few areas.

Wonder what WestWorld's favorite word will be?

NSFW- PROFANITY

NSFW- PROFANITY
 
I watched it last night and although I did enjoy it, I don't think it's anywhere near in the same league as GoT. I am also wondering how long the android characters can hold my interest, they're bots right. so.
 
What an artsy mess. Literally every main character, besides fugly Dolores' father, was overacting. This guy, on the other hand, did a fantastic job. Kudos to him.

It has good production value and all but I'd like to see Nolan's bullshit gone.
 
dgz said:
Literally every main character, besides fugly Dolores' father, was overacting.
Click to expand...
You realize that's on purpose, right? You're talking about the hosts, that are supposed to act like programmed Wild-Wild-West stereotypes are overacting in that fashion? They're programmed machines, with every little detail of their ovedone mannerisms painstakingly choreographed by Hollywood types in the future, that have a distorted view of what the West was liek. And I thought it was great how perfectly repetitive the hosts mannerisms are, just as one would expect with programmed routines and "flairs", where you can tell they look real but aren't quite human with little things that are off, creepy, or overdone and very rehearsed in appearance. Almost like video game characters put into flesh.

Dolores father on the other hand is unique, and I can't explain why without massive spoilers, but there's a reason he's different. Its all intentional and integral to the plot, I promise you, so remember these aren't actors acting like realistic people that lived in the West, these are actors acting like machines programmed with overblown unrealistic futuristic interpretations of Wild Wild West characters in an amusement park type setting. And it was exactly that which was one of the details of HBO that always blows me away, as they really focus on all the little details that sells the story if you're paying attention. :)
 
Last edited:
I thought it was an interesting concept. I like Anthony Hopkins in this though - he seems to play creepy roles really well. This certainly isn't on the same level as GoT, but then again, not much could be I think. I've set it to record so we'll see where it goes.
 
Ducman69 said:
You realize that's on purpose, right? You're talking about the hosts, that are supposed to act like programmed Wild-Wild-West stereotypes are overacting in that fashion? They're programmed machines, with every little detail of their ovedone mannerisms painstakingly choreographed by Hollywood types in the future, that have a distorted view of what the West was liek. And I thought it was great how perfectly repetitive the hosts mannerisms are, just as one would expect with programmed routines and "flairs", where you can tell they look real but aren't quite human with little things that are off, creepy, or overdone and very rehearsed in appearance. Almost like video game characters put into flesh.

Dolores father on the other hand is unique, and I can't explain why without massive spoilers, but there's a reason he's different. Its all intentional and integral to the plot, I promise you, so remember these aren't actors acting like realistic people that lived in the West, these are actors acting like machines programmed with overblown unrealistic futuristic interpretations of Wild Wild West characters in an amusement park type setting. And it was exactly that which was one of the details of HBO that always blows me away, as they really focus on all the little details that sells the story if you're paying attention. :)
Click to expand...

I get you but I meant the HUMAN characters. Every single one of them was an overacting cliche. What triggers me is that it was the father, a malfunctioning host, that was acting the most human of them all.

I realize it was on purpose. Pretentious films tend to be like that.

Also, how do you explain personnel's approach when it comes to data gathering? Surely the best way to debug your AI is to ask it questions and hope it's not lying to you. Give me a fucking break.
 
SPOILER RESPONSE STOP READING SPOILER RESPONSE!
dgz said:
Also, how do you explain personnel's approach when it comes to data gathering? Surely the best way to debug your AI is to ask it questions and hope it's not lying to you. Give me a fucking break.
Click to expand...
I think you misinterpreted.

They DO gather basic data from the AI, as they already knew the factual answer to basic preliminary questions as they made clear, but I believe they can learn more from the AI by questioning it and measuring its responses as well, since its such a complex system.

For example, they knew that the father whispered to her... how? There were no cameras at the home that we know of, but yet every bit of information about the hosts is known, which means they are likely pulling this info from the hosts.

But those are only facts. How do you determine how the AI "feels" about something. Dad whispered to her, they know that, but will she admit what it is, and how would they know if that had any meaning to her other than to ask her? And why does her answer matter? Because the answer determines if her part of core code is working properly, which interacts with so many other systems (built up with modifications over 30 years, some of which predate the technicians there now as they pointed out... in fact many of the original programmers may be dead).

After all, we are supposedly talking about very advanced AI that can improvise outside of their scripts, but they are NEVER allowed to question the nature of their reality, which is part of their core programming... obviously, we know someone did ask the question that you aren't allowed to ask, which doesn't make sense because his core programming should have prevented him from acknowledging an inconsistency (like all the other characters, we see they simply ignore it).

We know though that this rich playboy playground is really only a testing ground, as that was already revealed, and is NOT the point of this endeavor. It reminds me of early access beta, where people pay money to play with, and in so doing test, a virtual environment. We don't have a clue WHAT the end goal is with these AI, but it makes you wonder if they were designed to outgrow their programming or were intentionally altered. Hence the mystery.

Personally, I think what people are deriding actually make perfect sense in the plot when you think about it. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: dgz
like this
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top