In case the headline wasn’t enough, we’re pretty much going straight into some pretty insane Westworld spoilers with this news. So act accordingly.
Hiroyuki Sanada has joined the cast of Westworld season 2 and his character will clearly build on on the silliest and most awesome reveal from the first season finale of HBO’s incredible science fiction series. Sanada will play the role Musashi. And all the evidence suggests that Musashi is a robot samurai.
Although the news of Sanada’s casting began on IMDB, TV Guide followed up and learned that yes, the Japanese actor has joined Westworld and will appear in multiple episodes of season 2. Sanada is no stranger to genre television, having played Dogen on Lost, Dr. Hiroshi Hatake on Helix, Takehaya on The Last Ship, and Hideki Yasumoto on Extant. Movie fans may recall his work in films like Sunshine, Speed Racer, The Wolverine, The Last Samurai, and numerous Japanese projects spanning back decades.
Those of you who watched Westworld‘s bonkers, overstuffed, and generally mind-melting season finale will remember that the wild west-themed robot theme park of the title was revealed to not be one of a kind. In fact, it seems to have a sister park. Populated by robotic samurai straight out of feudal Japan. The story cut away before we could learn more about Delos’ other immersive theme park adventures – we only know that this other park is abbreviated “SW,” which could mean “SamuraiWorld” or “ShogunWorld.”
Remember this craziness?
While there’s no official confirmation that Sanada is playing one of the sister park’s robotic samurai, the internet has already put two and two together. And like so many unintentional spoilers, this one came about thanks to toys. Specifically, Funko’s San Diego Comic-Con exclusives, which included a Westworld samurai figure. Named Musashi. So while Sanada could be playing a park guest, go ahead and put money on him playing one of Delos’ robot samurai living in a second science fiction theme park we haven’t even seen yet.
SDCC 2017 Exclusives Wave 10: HBO – Game of Thrones & Westworld! https://t.co/2Cx21K9fZG pic.twitter.com/TCnsH3bPHb
— Funko (@OriginalFunko) June 29, 2017
The first season of the series concluded with the robotic hosts of Westworld achieving sentience and beginning their bloody war of vengeance against the humans who had used and abused them for decades. The trailer for season 2 promises that the slaughter has only just begun, with shots of Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores riding down park guests, rifle in hand. With a sister park located close enough that it shares the same behind-the-scenes facilities, it certainly sounds like the robot uprising may start spreading. What if this isn’t a show about robot cowboys rising against their human masters, but a show about robot cowboys teaming up with robot samurai to rise against their human masters? Suddenly, Westworld just got a whole lot nuttier. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In any case, it should be noted that the original Westworld movie also featured a Roman World and a Medieval World. Who knows how many parks Delos operates? Knowing this show, more information will arrive over the course of the coming season…very, very slowly.
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