Television has become an increasingly significant presence in the giant Hall H at the San Diego Comic-Con, and deep-pocketed networks such as HBO could of course afford to go big. So Westworld came to the event, and despite only having kicked off shooting on Season 2 a week ago, had some footage to share via a new trailer.
It was somewhat surprising to see anything concrete from the new run of episodes, which aren't due until next year. But if you're filling Hall H, you need to have something. And Westworld offers Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores gunning people down from horseback, Jeffrey Wright in a dune buggy and Ed Harris breaking into a very creepy smile. In additon to that, the panel kicked off with an amusing look back at Season 1, with bloopers spliced into regular footage.
Naturally, the cast wouldn't be drawn on the possibilities for next year now that the hosts at the park have begun to claim their destinies and rebel against their human creators, but they fielded questions from the moderator and fans with aplomb. MVP was Wright, who cracked wise about looking up plot theories ("I just checked Reddit"), while James Marsden was amusingly candid about the difficulties of dying multiple times and lying naked in pools of water and blood. Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton, meanwhile, offered impassioned praise for the depths of characterisation for their roles and the opportunities provided.
HBO isn't yet saying exactly when the show will return, but expect it in 2018.