Westworld on HBO: Evan Rachel Wood says the show is an 'intellectual nightmare'

HBO is set to premiere its latest science fiction thriller Westworld, based on the 1973 movie of the same name, this autumn. The series is about the after-effects of the rise of artificial intelligence. Evan Rachel Wood, who will play the mysterious Dolores Abernathy on the show has described the series as "an existential drama".

"What separates the show is that it's an existential drama. It's an intellectual nightmare," she told Collider. The series revolves around a genius creative Dr Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) who creates a futuristic theme park where visitors can indulge in real life adventures inside the world populated with human-like androids. Wood further explained that the series tries to portray the adverse effects of advanced science on humanity.

"It is all very much based in reality. A lot of the technologies that we're exploring are stuff that we're working on, right now. All of this is not that far away. It's taking a look at humanity and the state that we're in now and what would happen if we kept on going the way that we're going and we created this artificial intelligence," she said.

The actress further claimed that she suffered mini panic attacks while filming for the first four to five episodes as she learned about her actual role in the series. "Until about Episode 4 or 5, and that's when I really understood what the show was and what character I was playing. I had to go off and have a mini panic attack because I realized what was on my shoulders and just how it was surpassing my expectations. It was such a bigger picture than what I thought it was."

The trailer, which was released last week, appears promising as fans were given a tour of the west world which is populated by androids. However, an infection in the adult amusement park leaves visitors stranded and in danger. For Wood, the series is more of a revolution than a series. She said: "It's more of a revolution than a TV show. I don't think people are going to expect it. They've never seen anything like it. I've never seen anything like it. I'm excited. And everyone working on it, we're all in agreement that it's our Odyssey."

Executive produced by Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, and JJ Abrams, the show will premiere in October on HBO.