What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWestworld
Michael Crichton · Film · 1973
If you loved Westworld, start with Westworld (Jonathan Nolan, 2016) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 1 podcast, each matched to Westworld across media.
What hooked you in Westworld is the unsettling way high-concept technological ambition inevitably collapses into a chaotic struggle for survival.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Westworld
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2016
Books on the same thread
Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton · Book · 1991
Explores: Genetic Engineering, Ethical Dilemmas of Science, Man vs. Nature.
Like Westworld, this story explores the hubris of creating an artificial playground where nature and science turn against their creators, forcing guests into a desperate fight for survival.
Congo
Michael Crichton · Book · 2003
Shares a thread with Westworld: Artificial Intelligence.
If the corporate negligence and high-stakes environment of Westworld captivated you, this expedition into the unknown provides a similar sense of corporate-driven danger and unfolding technological mystery.
The Gunslinger
Stephen King · Book · 2003
Explores: Quest for redemption, Moral ambiguity, Obsession.
The Gunslinger mirrors the atmospheric menace of the Westworld gunslinger, offering a similarly dreamlike, morally ambiguous journey through a landscape where reality feels increasingly fragile and strange.
All Systems Red
Martha Wells · Book · 2017
Explores: Sentient AI, Social anxiety, Corporate dystopia.
This narrative dives deep into the internal life of an artificial construct, expanding on the existential questions regarding sentience and autonomy first introduced by the androids in Westworld.
Series on the same thread
Cowboy Bebop
Series · 1998
Shares a thread with Westworld: Existentialism.
You will appreciate how this series blends the aesthetic of the frontier with futuristic technology, echoing the way Westworld uses genre tropes to explore deep existential loneliness.
The Outer Limits
Leslie Stevens · Series · 1963
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Existential Dread, Technological Anxiety.
Much like Westworld, this anthology series masterfully utilizes sci-fi horror to examine the dark consequences of human innovation, leaving you with that same lingering sense of technological dread.
Into the West
Steven Spielberg · Series · 2005
Explores: Westward Expansion, Clash of Cultures, Manifest Destiny.
If you were drawn to the historical grit and clash of ideologies in Westworld, this epic saga provides a grounded look at the tensions inherent in frontier expansion.
Deadwood
David Milch · Series · 2004
Explores: Lawlessness and Order, Frontier Justice, Corruption.
This series captures the lawless intensity of the frontier setting found in Westworld, focusing on the brutal reality of how order is established in a chaotic, evolving environment.
Podcasts on the same thread
Desinteligencia Artificial
Podcast
Shares a thread with Westworld: Existentialism.
This podcast explores the philosophical implications of our modern technological trajectory, directly addressing the same societal anxieties about the future that make the premise of Westworld so compelling.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 1973 Westworld movie related to the 2016 Westworld TV series?
Yes, the 2016 Westworld television series is an adaptation of the 1973 Westworld film written by Michael Crichton. Both versions explore the concept of a futuristic amusement park where human-like androids begin to malfunction and pose a threat to the park patrons.
What is the premise of the original Westworld movie?
In the 1973 Westworld film, Delos is a high-tech amusement park featuring themed worlds populated by androids. After two patrons encounter a menacing gunslinger in the West World section, the androids across the park malfunction, resulting in widespread chaos and danger for the visitors.
Should I watch the original Westworld film before the 2016 series?
You can watch either version independently, but viewing the 1973 Westworld movie provides context for the core concept of the park. Both the film and the 2016 Westworld series center on the breakdown of androids in a futuristic park setting that turns deadly for guests.
Does Westworld feature human-like androids in both the film and the show?
Yes, both the 1973 Westworld film and the 2016 Westworld television series feature human-like androids. In both iterations, the park is known as Delos, and the central conflict arises when these androids begin to malfunction and cause havoc throughout the park environment.