'Westworld' news: Talulah Riley becomes series regular for season 2

Talulah Riley has been officially promoted to become a regular cast member of "Westworld" for its second season.

Riley appears in three timelines in "Westworld." She is one of the android hosts being tested by Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) and Arnold Weber (Jeffrey Wright). She then becomes the theme park host, greeting new arrivals and assisting them as they choose the costumes and weapons they will be using. In the future, she is revealed to be one of Wyatt's followers.

With season 1 ending with the robots declaring war against the humans, it is not unlikely to see Angela side with the robots in their takedown. This is further supported by her character description, which reads: "The host whose beatific face welcomed guests to Westworld for decades, Angela will prove to be one of the last faces many guests will ever see."

Prior to "Westworld," Riley appeared in "Inception," "Thor: The Dark World," and "Pride and Prejudice."

"Westworld" showrunners have hinted that season 2 will explore a new theme park, Samurai World after Maeve (Thandie Newton) was told that her daughter can be found there. However, Ed Harris, who plays the Man in Black, said during PaleyFest, "I'm a Man in Black, not a Man in a Samurai Suit. Samurais don't wear hats," hinting at what might happen in the upcoming season.

Another plot point that will be explored next season is how William (Jimmi Simmons) turned into the mysterious Man in Black. There is also a question whether Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) actually gained consciousness, leading her to shoot Dr. Ford, or if that action was programmed into her.

Season 2 of "Westworld" will air in 2018, although the specific date of its premiere has not been revealed yet. According to Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy, the producers of the show, all 10 episodes will first be written before production starts so that they can avoid the delays that they experienced in season 1. However, they are still keeping mum about the starting date of production. "Westworld" season 2 will air on HBO.