Over this past weekend, most viewers tuning in to the Super Bowl were worried over what team would take home the big win. Others were just wondering how long they would have to watch until HBO premiered its trailer for Westworld season 2.
On Sunday, HBO placed it’s first Super Bowl ad in over 20 years to feature the season 2 trailer for Westworld. The piece was directed by co-creator Jonathan Nolan. It also features a haunting piano rendition of Kanye West’s “Runaway.”
In the typical Westworld style, the trailer begins by celebrating the beauty of the Devos western-styled theme park, including stylistic shots of the American frontier: “a world where dreams come true”, Dolores’ voice-over tells us. But things quickly go wrong, and a darker truth is revealed as the trailer plays on.
Footage shows the Westworld park descending into chaos, with robotic bulls charging at park security guards and guests being overrun by the newly-conscious hosts now in control. Maeve and Dolores are at the forefront of this charge, with both appearing to lead their own groups of rebellious hosts aiming to overthrow the human leaders who created their world.
The trailer ends with Dolores ominously declaring, “We can save this world. We can burn it to the ground and from the ashes build a new world: our world.” It’s safe to assume she doesn’t have humans in mind with this final line.
Evan Rachel Wood, who plays Dolores in the HBO series, has said that season 2 will be “twice as ambitious as the first one. Twice as crazy! I didn’t think it could get bigger or crazier…and I just can’t even believe what we’re doing. I’m on the show, and I’m still getting shocked and surprised at everything that they’re throwing at me. [Dolores is] a very different character this season.”
In addition to catching up with the same characters from season 1, season 2 will introduce some new talent as well. The casting of acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada as a host version of the legendary samurai Musashi all but confirmed that there would be an appearance of a “SamuraiWorld” (which was previously hinted at in the season 1 finale) come season 2 as well. J.J. Abrams will work as executive producer alongside show runners and head writers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.
Westworld season 2 premieres April 22 on HBO.