Westworld Star Reflects on the "Disappointment" of Not Getting to Complete the Series

HBO making the decision not to renew Westworld for a Season 5 was disappointing for a number of reasons, not only because it meant the ending of the series, but because the creatives behind the series had already confirmed the next season was set to conclude the storyline, with star James Marsden also reflecting on the disappointing ending of the series. Despite that reaction, the actor still admitted that he was immensely appreciative of getting to play Teddy for four seasons, as well as acknowledging how expensive the show was to make, so he understands what motivated the decision to cut the series short.

"I'd be lying to you if I told you that the way we ended Westworld wasn't a disappointment," Marsden shared with Rolling Stone. "I'm never going to speak without gratitude about any of my experiences, but it would have been nice to be able to complete the story we wanted to finish."

Over the past year, Warner Bros. Discovery has made a surprising amount of decisions in regards to original movies and TV series, which saw a lot of unexpected projects be scrapped. Not only was Westworld denied the opportunity to be completed with a final season, it was also removed from the streaming service HBO Max.

In the world of streaming, there have been instances in which a series was cancelled by one platform and was then revived by another service, so Marsden isn't giving up hope that Westworld could still be concluded at a new home.

"I totally understand it's an expensive show, and big shows have to have big audiences to merit the expense. I just wish it was about more than financial success," the actor confessed. "But who knows, maybe there's some world where it can get completed somehow. Maybe that's just wishful thinking, because I know we had plans to finish it the way we wanted to."

The sci-fi nature of the series inherently brings with it financial challenges, as does its impressive ensemble cast of sought-after stars. In the years since Westworld debuted, it also saw dwindling returns from both audiences and critics, making HBO's decision a bit more understandable, yet not making the disappointment of how close the narrative came to being wrapped up organically only to be cut short any easier to handle.

Stay tuned for details on the possible future of Westworld.

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