HBO has long been a hub of cutting edge, thrilling television programming. While Game of Thrones was still at the height of its popularity, the network debuted the ambitious sci-fi drama Westworld back in 2016. Following its fourth season, the show was surprisingly cancelled in the midst of yet another cliffhanger ending. And Westworld actor James Marsden recently opened up about HBO’s cancellation, and remaining hopeful about plans to “finish it.”
Each season of Westworld is wildly different, with the sci-fi series including concepts like a global apocalypse and mind-controlled humans. James Marsden has appeared as Teddy Flood throughout the show’s four seasons in the air, often sharing scenes with series star Evan Rachel Wood in the process. He was recently asked by Rolling Stone about the show’s shocking cancellation, and he opened up by sharing:
I’d be lying to you if I told you that the way we ended Westworld wasn’t a disappointment. 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.
Points were made. Given the surprising nature of Westworld’s cancellation, the dystopian series wasn’t able to craft a truly satisfying ending. While Season 4 came to a close, we left off with a huge cliffhanger. Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores created a new test for the hosts, in hopes of avoiding another apocalyptic event. But now we’ll never know whether or not she was ultimately successful.
Throughout Season 4 of Westworld we followed two different stories. They finally collided in the finale, when Dolores was able to once again become sentient and regain her memories and consciousness. With humanity on the edge of extinction, she re–creates the Westworld park in The Sublime, hoping to offer hosts one last “test” for hosts and humans alike. And as such, fans are left wondering how it all shook out.
Later in that same interview, James Marsden spoke about how much he loved his years playing Teddy in Westworld. What’s more, he expressed hope that the show’s fifth and final season might be completed someday in the future. As he put it,
I love this Westworld family. It was one of those unique opportunities to be part of something where I also would be sitting at home ravenously waiting for the next episode as a fan. 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. 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.
There you have it. It remains to be seen if this will ever actually happen, but crazier things have happened. Then again, HBO typically hasn’t been involved in the various scrapped shows that have been saved from cancellation in recent years by moving networks. Hopefully we’ll get to find out the show’s ending in one way or another.
In addition to Westworld, James Marsden recently wrapped up his tenure on Netflix’s Dead to Me, which ended after Season 3. He’s also been keeping busy with film projects like Disenchanted and his ongoing role in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
