Westworld cast will still get paid for season five despite the series getting canceled by HBO

The cast of Westworld will still get paid for season five despite the series getting canned.

Westworld has been canceled by HBO in a shock move that will left many fans of the sci-fi drama shocked and disappointed, as creators had been teasing a fifth season to wrap up the complex storyline. 

The core cast had a pay or play deal for the fifth season, according to Deadline, meaning they will get paid despite the cancellation – and despite the fact the fifth season was never produced.

The latest: The cast of Westworld will still get paid for season five despite the series getting canned; Rachel Evan Wood pictured

The outlet also reported that some of the cast may have renegotiated their deals prior to season four’s airing.

The main cast of the show is: Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, Aaron Paul and Jeffrey Wright. 

Deadline notes that the cast is owed a total of $10-$15 million range for season five. 

Evan, Jeffrey, Ed, Thandie and Ed reportedly got $250,000 per episode for season three, after they renegotiated raises following the end of season two, per the outlet.

News: Westworld has been canceled by HBO in a shock move that will left many fans of the sci-fi drama shocked and disappointed, as creators had been teasing a fifth season to wrap up the complex storyline

Aaron joined the show for season three. 

Season four ended just three months ago, with the finale airing on August 14th and viewers had been left anticipating more to come from the show. 

The surprising decision to abruptly finish the show is said to partly be down to its high-cost production budget as well as falling ratings, Variety reports.

Switching off: Westworld canceled by HBO: Sci-fi drama’s fourth season will be the last despite creators hoping to wrap up storyline for a fifth season

It had been reported that season one carried a hefty budget of $88million, with the figure growing to $107million in season two. 

Creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy said just last month they were hoping to film another season of the series, which is based on the 1973 film of the same name.

The axing also comes as an ‘ongoing evaluation of programming’ has been underway with HBO’s new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Westworld had earned an impressive nine Primetime Emmy awards throughout its run, as well as a total of 54 nominations.

It was launched by HBO back in 2016 as prestige drama with high hopes of it becoming another long-running show amid the success of Game of Thrones, and boasted a stellar cast with Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins. 

Star cast: Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul was later added to the cast list to bring in viewers 

Racy: The show pushed boundaries in terms of cast nudity in the show

Big draw: The show started off strong with Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins as the main star

Per Variety’s report, Warner Bros. Discovery. have been trying to save as much $3.5 billion over the next three years following its merger with HBO. 

However, ratings winner House of the Dragon is said to be staying put, as well as the popular teen drama series Euphoria. 

Only last month, co-creator Jonathan Nolan – brother of acclaimed director Christopher Nolan – dropped a hint at New York Comic Con about a fifth and final season of Westworld. 

‘We always planned for a fifth and final season,’ Nolan said last month.

‘We are still in conversations with the network. We very much hope to make them.’

Meanwhile, his wife and co-creator Lisa Joy told Deadline in August: ‘Jonah (Nolan) and I have always had an ending in mind that we hope to reach. We have not quite reached it yet.’