Westworld Season 5: Creators Reportedly Refuse Warner Bros. Discovery’s Plans for the Final Season

HBO made a surprising move when it announced the cancellation of Westworld Season 5 after its creators discussed their plans for the fifth and final season. Now, news emerged that the talks about making the fifth iteration indeed occurred, but the producers refused the changes Warner Bros. Discovery wanted to make, like cutting its budget.

WBD went cancellation-spree, canning movies, and pulling back TV renewals. In fact, the Westworld Season 5 cancellation came weeks after Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan revealed their plans to end the series.

The Alleged Plan to Cut Westworld Season 5’s Budget

The Hollywood Reporter claimed HBO considered producing the show’s fifth season but on a “Free, Ad-Supported Television” or FAST streaming service, not on its cable channel.

However, to fit into that streaming service, it has to cut its huge budget, with which Joy and Nolan reportedly disagree.

The fourth season alone cost more than $150 million to make. In fact, it’s said to be one of the reasons seen that the show was axed.

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"Making Westworld has been one of the highlights of our careers," co-creators said in a statement when the show was cancelled, per ComicBook. "We are deeply grateful to our extraordinary cast and crew for creating these indelible characters and brilliant worlds. 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."

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Currently, WBD doesn’t have its own FAST streaming service, though it reportedly explores the possibility of launching its own.

Westworld to be Pulled Out from HBO Max

Westworld will reportedly be removed from HBO Max after the fifth season cancellation.

According to Deadline, the decision comes from WBD, which plans to shift these shows to other streaming services that are part of the company’s network.

Aside from the dystopian science fiction series, Minx, Love Life, and Gordita Chronicles will also be pulled out from HBO Max.

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This comes from the heels of WBD’s new CEO David Zaslav’s year-end financial review, and HBO MAX’s programs will continuously be affected by these financial resolves.

Zaslav has already cancelled the Batgirl movie and CNN+ but wants to create more Harry Potter content. A number of layoffs have also happened to save a $3 billion budget.

For more Westworld Season 5 news, stay tuned to EpicStream!