The trailer for The Peripheral previews the new show from Westworld's team. Based on William Gibson's 2014 novel of the same name, and executive produced by Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, The Peripheral stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne. Searching for a purpose in her life, Flynne lives with her ailing mother and brother Burton (portrayed by Jack Reynor). The siblings are really into video games, testing out a new system from a company that allows Flynne to unlock her dreams. But, as she comes to realize, there's more to it than meets the eye.

The teaser for The Peripheral, which is created by screenwriter and novelist Scott Smith, zeroed in on Flynne's situation. She's full of promise and ambition but stuck in bleak circumstances. The mysterious system provides the character with an escape, although the specifics of what Flynne was actually experiencing remained out of reach. Now, with the sci-fi series set to debut in a matter of days, the full trailer answers some questions — and raises a bunch of others.


The full trailer for The Peripheral, which debuts October 21 on Prime Video, restates Flynne's difficult personal situation with her mother. But it also highlights the alternate reality that she finds herself in, lingering on some of the creepy imagery that awaits viewers when the show arrives. A few moments in the trailer hint at robots or some sort of artificial intelligence that aren't exactly friendly.

What Is The Peripheral About (& Will It Be As Big As Westworld)?


There is a fair amount that's known about the plot of The Peripheral. The story is set in 2032, with Flynne living in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In order to get by financially, they get paid to play simulations. Though it's Burton who should be testing a new beta simulation, it's Flynne that does. The beta sim takes place in London. And pretending to be her brother, Flynne breaks into a corporation known as the Research Institute to steal a valuable secret. The assignment goes wrong, however, and it's revealed that the simulation is actually very real. It is London in the year 2099. As a result, there are people from the future looking for Flynne because of what she's stolen.

As for whether this setup will find an audience as big as Westworld, that will be a tough task. So much of that show's early success was at least partially attributable to the culture cache that HBO has built up as a brand that equals quality. It also came at a time when there was less high-profile television, and far fewer streaming services, to split the attention of audiences. The entertainment landscape is very different now. But if The Peripheral gets off to a strong start, it will at least match the early trajectory and promise of Westworld.