'Westworld' Canceled by HBO After 4 Seasons
The creators of the Emmy-winning sci-fi series had planned to end the series in season 5.
Evan Rachel Wood plays Dolores in Westworld.
Westworld has been canceled, HBO said Friday. The sci-fi show won't return following season 4, which premiered over the summer and wrapped up in August.
Co-creator Lisa Joy previously told The Wrap that she was hoping for a season 5 renewal.
"We had always planned on ending the series next season," she told the entertainment news site.
Her husband, co-creator Jonathan Nolan, relayed a similar sentiment to Variety.
The fourth season ended on what some may consider a cliff-hanger, with Christina -- a brunette look-alike version of blond Westworld protagonist Dolores -- transforming into what looked like the season 1 version of Dolores. She hinted at a "final test" against the backdrop of the Westworld theme park.
HBO didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about the reason for the cancellation. According to Variety, declining viewership and the high cost of production factored into the decision.
The complex, visually stunning series premiered in 2016. It's accumulated 54 Emmy nominations and nine wins, HBO noted.
"Over the past four seasons, Lisa and Jonah have taken viewers on a mind-bending odyssey, raising the bar at every step," HBO said in a statement. "We are tremendously grateful to them, along with their immensely talented cast, producers and crew, and all of our partners at Kilter Films, Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television. It's been a thrill to join them on this journey."