Westworld main cast ‘will still be paid for season 5’ despite show’s axe-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

Fans are devastated that the show has ended (Picture: HBO)

Westworld might have just been cancelled, but the main cast will still be paid for the unaired season 5, it’s been reported.

This week, it was confirmed that the dystopian sci-fi series had been axed by HBO after four seasons, leaving fans distraught.

In a statement, co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy – who hoped the story could continue – said: ‘Making Westworld has been one of the highlights of our careers. We are deeply grateful to our extraordinary cast and crew for creating these indelible characters and brilliant worlds.’

The fourth and final season of the show, starring Thandiwe Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, Aaron Paul and Jeffrey Wright, aired this summer between June and August.

While at this point in time, there will be no more episodes of the series, the lead actors in the cast will still receive their salaries for a fifth season, Deadline reported.

According to the publication, the core members of the cast had ‘pay-or-play deals’ for season five, meaning that they were still entitled to receive their pay even if season five didn’t go ahead.

The show first premiered in 2016 (Picture: HBO)

It’s been claimed that the actors’ options came up before season four had aired, with the cast renegotiating their contracts at the time.

In a statement announcing the news of Westworld ending, the bosses of the show said: ‘Over the past four seasons, Lisa and Jonah have taken viewers on a mind-bending odyssey, raising the bar at every step.

‘We are tremendously grateful to them, along with their immensely talented cast, producers and crew, and all of our partners at Kilter Films, Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television. It’s been a thrill to join them on this journey.’

While the reason behind Westworld being dropped has not been made clear, Variety has reported that the decision came down to several factors, including the cost to make the drama.

Co-creators Jonathan and Lisa added: ‘We’ve been privileged to tell these stories about the future of consciousness – both human and beyond – in the brief window of time before our AI overlords forbid us from doing so.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted HBO for comment.

Westworld is available to purchase on Prime Video.

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