Westworld season 3 takes place in the "real world" - but it could actually be "Futureworld" instead. A Westworld theory alleges that the show is pulling from the film franchise it's based on and that the hosts are stuck in yet another park. While the show still bears the Westworld name, the latest season sees everyone outside of the titular park. Since breaking out of her loop, Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and several other hosts led a rebellion against their human overlords. Now, Dolores believes she's made it to the outside world and wants to take her revenge on humanity.
However, what if the "real world" Dolores and company have come to is yet another park? The past two seasons have proven that Westworld isn't short on park ideas, with multiple realities, including Shogun World and War World, having been revealed. It's possible that many, if not all of the rebellious hosts, are actually in a "Futureworld" park. While it makes sense for Westworld's real world to be so technologically advanced, what if it's a purposeful mislead on Delos' part, a contingency plan to appease the hosts who escaped? Even with the of Westworld's deceased founders, it's possible Dolores has stumbled into yet another manufactured reality.
Westworld even hints at this twist in the season 3 premiere, "Parce Domine." When Dolores is out with her boyfriend Liam (John Gallagher Jr.) at a party, one of the guests discusses his theory that the world is actually a simulation. Dolores tells him it's likely all in his head, and that "people believe the things that help them." But while Dolores sees this man's conspiracy theory as foolish, it's possible she's the one who's mistaken.
This twist would mirror the sequel to the original Westworld movie, Futureworld. In the film, two reporters travel to Futureworld, a Delos-operated park opened two years after the events of Westworld. Once there, they discover Delos is secretly cloning its rich and powerful guests. Delos plans for these loyal clones to replace the originals, ensuring that the company is never harmed or maligned.
If HBO's series is mirroring the Westworld film franchise, it makes sense that it would utilize a "Futureworld" twist. Both major reveals of the movie fit with the show's themes and narrative. In Westworld season 2, William oversees the attempts to clone James Delos, which builds upon the Delos company pulling data from its guests while they're at the park. Furthermore, Westworld loves playing with the audience's expectations of reality; the first two seasons of Westworld have even featured fragmented timelines. In season 1, Bernard discovers he's a host, and in season 2, William questions whether he's a host as well. The Futureworld twist would easily fit into the show's storytelling style.
That said, this logic could be the exact reason Westworld isn't using Futureworld. That "simulation" line could be a purposeful misdirect, leading viewers down a conspiracy theory they made for themselves. It also might be a reflection of real-world paranoia about whether the world is a simulation. Many folks joke about how the chaos of the past few years indicates that reality is manufactured. Westworld may be teasing Futureworld to misdirect the audience, as a way to both surprise viewers and throttle possible spoilers. It remains to be seen whether the Futureworld fan theory is completely true, or if Westworld only wants fans to think it is.