The Westworld team, preparing to shoot the pilot for the HBO series inspired by Michael Crichton’s 1973 sci-fi thriller, are taking the trickle-down approach to casting announcements, releasing a few names in bursts. Ed Harris has now been revealed as the main villain{
Harris will be playing The Man In Black, described in the Hollywood Reporter’s story as the distillation of pure villainy into one person. The series will draw from similar themes as the film, exploring the idea of dawning consciousness among artificial people and the sinful excesses of mankind, all set within an adult theme park where the attractions start to rise up against the people who believe they’re in control.
Harris and the wonderfully-named Slocum join a cast that already boasts Jeffrey Wright, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Angela Sarafyan, Simon Quarterman, James Marsden, Shannon Woodward, Kyle Bornheimer, Anthony Hopkins and Evan Rachel Wood.
Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy are overseeing the show and have co-written the pilot with Nolan scheduled to direct it. J.J. Abrams, his Bad Robot producing partner Bryan Burk and producer Jerry Weintraub are also all attached, and HBO will no doubt be hoping this can replace one of its outgoing dramas.