Ed Harris takes Top villain role in HBOs "Westworld" reboot

[Deberg_1990]

Sweet. Loved this film when I was a kid. It's ripe for a reboot.

Doesn't sound like he's playing the Yul Brenner role though

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/08/11/ed-harris-westworld/



Image Credit: WireImage.com
Ed Harris is coming to series TV: The Abyss and Apollo 13 actor has signed on as the Big Bad in HBO’s Westworld reboot.
The four-time Oscar nominee’s character is called The Man in Black, and is described as “the distillation of pure villainy into one man.” He joins previously cast star — and fellow series television newcomer—Anthony Hopkins, along with Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, and Shannon Woodward.

The Warner Bros.-produced sci-fi pilot produced by J.J Abrams, Jerry Weintraub, and Bryan Burk updates Michael Crichton’s 1973 classic film about a theme park where androids fulfill dark human desires. Harris’ description might sound like he’s playing the Yul Brynner killer-cowboy robot role, but it seems like actor Rodrigo Santoro was tapped for that part—and online production rumors suggest The Man in Black is actually a human character who sadistically abuses the androids.

Harris will soon be seen the feature film Run All Night, starring opposite Liam Neeson and Joel Kinnaman. Harris won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy for his work in HBO’s Game Change.

[Deberg_1990]

So I'm still not clear on if the hosts can harm humans or not?

It's been established they can't kill guests with guns. But what about other means? They show white hats BIL about to get strangled, then later on its implied that white hat leaves his BIL to get killed by the renegade soldiers.


Can they do physical harm with their bare hands to humans??

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Silock

If Harris in an android, he'd have to be pretty special because the bullets bounce off of him.

I think it's a software issue. The androids are constructed (now) to resemble a real human when shot. They rip open, they bleed, they require blood to operate so they will shut down when they run too low on blood. If an android shoots two targets side by side, one human and one android, the android will kill the android but only sting the human. With the same weapon. So that 'decision' to either maim or simply slightly injure must be built into the system. It could be a combination of the weapon and the android, or even something in the environment considering Ed Harris had to get permission to cause an explosion that freed him from his cell.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

So I'm still not clear on if the hosts can harm humans or not?

It's been established they can't kill guests with guns. But what about other means? They show white hats BIL about to get strangled, then later on its implied that white hat leaves his BIL to get killed by the renegade soldiers.


Can they do physical harm with their bare hands to humans??

I would say no. You get a feeling for how complex the AI of this universe is when Ed Harris threatens Anthony Hopkins with a knife.

[listopencil]

Think of it like this:

Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics"

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

---

http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/robotics.html

The androids are roughing up Rodrigo Santoro when William escapes but he's smiling at the end of the scene because he knows he's not really in any danger. Now remember that every potentially dangerous item is controlled by the company. In one scene a fire wasn't started because the only host with the correct psychological blocks necessary to be allowed to handle an axe wasn't present. The guns don't function correctly when used against a human. The explosives Ed Harris used had to be authorized before they were allowed to work (also meaning that the nitro wasn't going to blow up on that train regardless of whether Dolores shot at it).

[Buck]

Originally Posted by listopencil

Think of it like this:

Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics"

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

---

http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/robotics.html

The androids are roughing up Rodrigo Santoro when William escapes but he's smiling at the end of the scene because he knows he's not really in any danger. Now remember that every potentially dangerous item is controlled by the company. In one scene a fire wasn't started because the only host with the correct psychological blocks necessary to be allowed to handle an axe wasn't present. The guns don't function correctly when used against a human. The explosives Ed Harris used had to be authorized before they were allowed to work (also meaning that the nitro wasn't going to blow up on that train regardless of whether Dolores shot at it).

Rodrigo Santoro is actually not the friend of William. He is the gunslinger Hector (the guy who rolls into town with his posse...the one who Maeve wants to stab her in the stomach). He looks almost exactly the same as the guy playing Logan though.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Buck

Rodrigo Santoro is actually not the friend of William. He is the gunslinger Hector (the guy who rolls into town with his posse...the one who Maeve wants to stab her in the stomach). He looks almost exactly the same as the guy playing Logan though.

OK, thanks for the correction, I'm trying to be clear with all of these characters involved and I can't keep their names straight.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by listopencil

OK, thanks for the correction, I'm trying to be clear with all of these characters involved and I can't keep their names straight.

Yep, that's the issue with watching a new show.

Rodrigo Santoro (Hector):



Ben Barnes (Logan):



Hector Left/Logan Right

[listopencil]

Dang. They actually look a lot more alike then I realized.

[Bowser]

Huh....

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by Bowser

I got swept up in Westworld excitement. Plus, I was posting just in case 99% of the board had KC Lee on ignore.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Silock

If Harris in an android, he'd have to be pretty special because the bullets bounce off of him.

Robot bullets bounce off. And we've already established that the robots treat Anthony Hopkins like he is special.

[listopencil]

Meh. The more videos I watch of people explaining the multiple timelines theory the less believable it becomes.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

Robot bullets bounce off. And we've already established that the robots treat Anthony Hopkins like he is special.

But Anthony Hopkins isn't a robot.

[frankotank]

Originally Posted by listopencil

It would be cool if Dolores is actually Yul Brenner's character from the movie.

I figured this would be exactly how it'd end up after the first few episodes....now I'm sure of it!

they kinda tricked you with Ed Harris...but he's human.

[BWillie]

I absolutely love this show, but I want to continue to be surprised. I had no idea this was a reboot until I read this thread a week ago. I have never heard of the original movie. Should I watch it or will that ruin anything for me?