HOLLYWOOD, Calif. Feb. 25, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — According to reports, HBO has halted production on its new series, “Westworld,” due to budget and creative differences.
“Westworld” is based on the 1973 sci-fi movie starring Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Yul Brynner and written by Michael Crichton (“Jurassic Park.”) The film spawned a 1976 sequel called “FutureWorld.”
The reboot, executive produced by J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan, boasts a stellar cast including Anthony Hopkins, James Marsden, Ben Barnes, Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood and Ed Harris.
Initially produced under Warner Bros. Television, HBO took back control after alleged clashes with co-executive producer Jonathan Nolan.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, reports say Nolan can be “every bit as controlling” as his brother, Chris Nolan. The article went on to report the production is suffering from budget cuts and deadline issues as the show required extra filming.
Since stopping production, HBO has brought in two additional producers and two more writers.
Production, which is filmed in Los Angeles and in Utah, is scheduled to resume in March.
“‘Westworld’ is wildly ambitious — on the page and on set,” Jonathan Nolan said in a recent statement. “In broadcast TV, it’s been routine for us to write and shoot at the same time. This is a completely different animal. As we got closer to the final episodes, we realized we needed to take a break from shooting to catch up on writing.”
