Director J.J. Abrams has developed a stellar reputation for reinvigorating lapsed franchises, a well-earned reputation that includes hits like Mission Impossible, Star Wars, Star Trek, and his most recent hit series Westworld.
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While he is incredibly appreciative of the success that reboots have afforded him, he wants to close that chapter and start a new one that focuses on original content. At the 2017 Golden Globes, Abrams told People.com “You know, I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten involved in things that I loved when I was a kid,” he said. “In fact, even Westworld, which we’re here for tonight, is one of them. But I don’t feel any desire to do that again. I feel like I’ve done enough of that that I’m more excited about working on things that are original ideas that perhaps one day someone else will have to reboot.”
Abrams has a wealth of experience with not just rebooting a franchise but also bringing his own unique ideas to the world, something he feels strongly about when a studio decides to reintroduce a beloved franchise to the moviegoing public.
“You know, I do think that if you’re telling a story that is not moving anything forward, not introducing anything that’s relevant, that’s not creating a new mythology or an extension of it, then a complete remake of something feels like a mistake,” he said. “But film is a fairly young medium and there are stories that have lasted for centuries,” he added. “And it’s not uncommon, I think, for stories to be retold — whether it’s at campfire or on film, but I think you always have to be additive. You can’t just be remaking something just for the sake of remaking it.”
You can view the season one synopsis for Westworld below.
The one-hour drama series Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
The cast of the 10-episode series includes Anthony Hopkins (“Thor”), Ed Harris (“The Rock”), Evan Rachel Wood (“The Wrestler”), James Marsden (“X-Men”), Thandie Newton (“Mission: Impossible II”), Jeffrey Wright (“Casino Royale”), Tessa Thompson (“Thor: Ragnarok”), Sidse Babett Knudsen (“Let’s Get lost”), Jimmi Simpson (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), Rodrigo Santoro (“300: Rise of an Empire”), Shannon Woodward (“Raising Hope”), Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (“Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters”), Ben Barnes (“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”), Simon Quarterman (“The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior”), Angela Sarafyan (“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”), Luke Hemsworth (“Kill Me Three Times”) and Clifton Collins, Jr. (“Pacific Rim”).
Inspired by the motion picture “Westworld,” written and directed by Michael Crichton. Production companies, Bad Robot Productions, Jerry Weintraub Productions and Kilter Films in association with Warner Bros. Television. Executive producer/writer/director, Jonathan Nolan; executive producer/writer, Lisa Joy; executive producers, J.J. Abrams, Jerry Weintraub, Bryan Burk.
More Westworld: What We Know About Season 2 / Westworld Proves TV is Better Than Movies / Did Ford Really Die/The Man in Black Revealed / The Maze Revealed / Ford’s New Narrative Revealed / WESTWORLD FINALE RECAP WITH SPOILERS
