It seems Angela has impressed the Powers That Be over at Delos.
Deadline is reporting that Talulah Riley has been bumped up to a series regular in anticipation of Westworld season 2, which is expected to air via HBO sometime next year. Neither Deadline nor HBO offered up any further details to accompany the announcement, but it does essentially confirm that Riley’s enigmatic Host will enjoy more screentime come 2018.
Without delving into spoilers, Talulah Riley’s impossibly attractive synthetic was introduced early on in Westworld‘s first season, when she lent a helping hand to Jimmi Simpson’s William as he took his first steps onto Robert Ford’s prized creation. From there, Angela’s narrative became intertwined with that of the Man in Black and, by the time Westworld reached its grisly finale – these violent delights have violent ends, remember – her Host was heavily involved in the bloody events that transpired just as Anthony Hopkins’ scenery-chewing creator and all-around AI master formally announced his retirement to the board.
So, where does this leave us going into Westworld season 2? Well, with little-to-no story details to base our speculation on, it’s really anyone’s guess. The key creators behind the hit sci-fi series have hinted that those story strands teased during season 1’s finale may be explored in the future – just don’t expect them to become the sole focus.
Westworld will bring its provocative blend of Western sci-fi and existential themes back to HBO sometime in 2018. If the critically-adorned first season focuses on control, co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have teased the ways in which the 10-episode second season will indulge in a little chaos. And given how last year’s finale sparked a full-blown Host rebellion, we couldn’t be more excited.