Westworld CANCELED by HBO: Sci-fi drama's fourth season will be the last in a shock move amid network shake-up... despite creators hoping to wrap up complex storyline in a fifth season
- Westworld has been canceled following season four which aired this year
- The shock move will leave many fans of the sci-fi drama disappointed
- Show creators were said to be hoping to wrap storyline up in a fifth season
- HBO is said to have made the decision due to low ratings and a costly budget
- Season one of the series reportedly cost a whopping $88million to produce
Westworld has been canceled by HBO in a shock move that will leave many fans of the sci-fi drama shocked and disappointed, as creators had been teasing a fifth season to wrap up the complex storyline.
Season four ended just three months ago, with the finale airing on August 14th and viewers had been left anticipating more to come from the show that stars Rachel Evan Wood, James Marsden, and Aaron Paul.
The surprising decision to abruptly finish the show is said to partly be down to its high-cost production budget as well as falling ratings, Variety reports.
It had been reported that season one carried a hefty budget of $88million, with the figure growing to $107million in season two.
Creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy said just last month they were hoping to film another season of the series, which is based on the 1973 film of the same name.
![Switching off: Westworld CANCELED by HBO: Sci-fi drama's fourth season will be the last despite creators hoping to wrap up storyline for a fifth season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/04/20/64207615-0-image-a-1_1667593252984.jpg)
Switching off: Westworld CANCELED by HBO: Sci-fi drama's fourth season will be the last despite creators hoping to wrap up storyline for a fifth season
The axing also comes as an 'ongoing evaluation of programming' has been underway with HBO's new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.
Westworld had earned an impressive nine Primetime Emmy awards throughout its run, as well as a total of 54 nominations.
It was launched by HBO back in 2016 as prestige drama with high hopes of it becoming another long-running show amid the success of Game of Thrones, and boasted a stellar cast with Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins.
Ed Harris Jeffrey Wright and Thandiwe Newton were also part of the original cast list.
![Star cast: Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul was later added to the cast list to bring in viewers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/04/20/64207967-11391897-image-a-9_1667594151187.jpg)
Star cast: Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul was later added to the cast list to bring in viewers
![Racy: The show pushed boundaries in terms of cast nudity in the show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/04/21/64208887-11391897-image-a-19_1667596480266.jpg)
Racy: The show pushed boundaries in terms of cast nudity in the show
![Ratings downturn: Her interview with the publication came out on the same day it was announced that her hit show Westworld was canceled by HBO after four seasons (Anthony Hopkins pictured with Wood, season 1)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/04/21/64208899-11391897-image-m-21_1667596522691.jpg)
Big draw: The show started off strong with Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins as the main star
Per Variety's report, Warner Bros. Discovery. have been trying to save as much $3.5 billion over the next three years following its merger with HBO.
However, ratings winner House of the Dragon is said to be staying put, as well as the popular teen drama series Euphoria.
Only last month, co-creator Jonathan Nolan - brother of acclaimed director Christopher Nolan - dropped a hint at New York Comic Con about a fifth and final season of Westworld.
'We always planned for a fifth and final season,' Nolan said last month.
'We are still in conversations with the network. We very much hope to make them.'
Meanwhile, his wife and co-creator Lisa Joy told Deadline in August: 'Jonah (Nolan) and I have always had an ending in mind that we hope to reach. We have not quite reached it yet.'
![Canceled you say? Stars such as Thandiwe Newton may be shocked to find out the news](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/04/20/64208017-11391897-Canceled_you_say_Stars_such_as_Thandiwe_Newton_may_be_shocked_to-m-11_1667594555101.jpg)
Canceled you say? Stars such as Thandiwe Newton may be shocked to find out the news
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