The highly anticipated second season of Prime Video’s Fallout series is set to debut on December 17. Created by Jonathan Nolan, an Emmy-winning producer and director, Fallout explores the post-apocalyptic world two centuries after the Great War of 2077. The show has captivated fans with its dark, radioactive vision of a collapsed society. In an exclusive interview, Nolan opened up about a hidden connection between Fallout and his previous series, Westworld, and how both explore similar themes around technology and civilisation’s downfall.
While the two shows are quite different in tone and setting, Nolan reveals that the thematic undercurrents between them are closely tied. Here’s what we know about Fallout’s connection to Westworld and how the apocalyptic series is inspired by both modern and literary dystopias.
Overview of Fallout Season 2
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Season 2 Release Date | December 17, 2025 |
| Executive Producer | Jonathan Nolan |
| Main Cast | Walton Goggins (The Ghoul), Ella Purnell (Lucy) |
| Setting | Set 200 years after the Great War in a post-apocalyptic world |
| Inspirations | Westworld, A Canticle for Leibowitz |
| Storyline | Lucy and The Ghoul embark on a high-stakes “buddy road trip” while navigating the wasteland |
As fans eagerly await the release of Fallout Season 2, Nolan’s revelations offer a deeper understanding of how the series was inspired and shaped by his previous work and literary sources. Let’s dive into the connections and the intriguing storyline for the upcoming season.
Fallout’s Link to Westworld: Technology, Civilization, and the Apocalypse
In the interview, Nolan reflected on how Westworld and Fallout both explore the moral and philosophical dilemmas surrounding technology and its impact on civilisation. When asked about any connection between the two, Nolan admitted that his experiences with Westworld had influenced how he approached Fallout.
Jonathan Nolan explained, “Yeah, I don’t know why we kind of, why we keep winding up telling stories at or around the end of the world. But I think a lot of this question… and it’s one of the reasons I love the games, the Fallout games so much, is they’re playing with this question of the technologies that we create and the ways in which those technologies then, you know, push us in different directions as a civilization.”
For Nolan, both Westworld and Fallout address the consequences of unchecked technological advancement. In Westworld, the rise of artificial intelligence and the moral implications of creating sentient beings lead to chaos, while Fallout imagines a world destroyed by the very technologies humanity created.
Nolan continued, “And I think we’re now, once again, Westworld was a science fiction show. Now pretty much a daily reality. You know, hopefully some of the things in Fallout don’t become a daily reality, but asking that question of the what-ifs, right, where do these things go? I think one of the things that is most exciting to me about Fallout is that it gets to question, you know what? ‘What happens to our institutions after the end of the world and 200 years in Geneva?’”
This common theme between Westworld and Fallout, the impact of technology on humanity and society, is a key factor that links the two shows, even though Fallout presents a more post-apocalyptic setting compared to the futuristic world of Westworld.
“We keep coming back to this idea of how technology shapes us and where it leads us,” Nolan shared. “Fallout asks questions about the aftermath of technological hubris. It’s something we explored in Westworld, but in Fallout, it’s the fallout of our decisions that we’re seeing 200 years later.”
Fallout Inspired by A Canticle for Leibowitz
In addition to the thematic influence of Westworld, Nolan revealed that Fallout was also loosely inspired by the novel A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr., a classic of post-apocalyptic science fiction. The novel, which explores the aftermath of nuclear war and the preservation of knowledge by a group of monks, is set in a future where humanity is struggling to rebuild after civilisation has collapsed.
Nolan explained, “I think A Canticle for Leibowitz also informed the games a little bit. It’s a story of a monk somewhere in the future who’s sifting through the ruins of our civilization and trying to piece together what these technologies were and how these people came to the precipice. So, I think there’s always something engaging in a story like that, definitely.”
The inspiration from A Canticle for Leibowitz is evident in Fallout, particularly in the show’s depiction of a shattered world where the remnants of pre-war society are preserved, albeit in distorted forms. This theme of rediscovering the past through a lens of ruin and decay is a central narrative element in both the game series and the show.
A High-Stakes Road Trip in Fallout Season 2
As for what fans can expect in the upcoming second season of Fallout, Ella Purnell, who plays Lucy, teased a major plotline. In Season 2, Lucy teams up with The Ghoul (played by Walton Goggins) on a “buddy road trip” through the wasteland. Their journey is high-stakes, filled with danger, personal conflict, and complex character dynamics.
At the end of Season 1, Lucy discovers that her father, Hank MacLean, was once a Vault-Tec employee who had been cryogenically frozen and reanimated centuries later. This revelation propels Lucy and The Ghoul on a quest to track him down, but as Purnell teased, their journey will be anything but straightforward.
Purnell explained, “At times, it’s like we’re on this buddy road trip. And then other times, they’re so much at odds. They’re trying to influence each other and see who’s going to rub off on whom. Is the Ghoul going to become good? Is Lucy going to become bad? Or are they going to be somewhere in the middle?”
This complex dynamic promises to deliver both humor and tension, as Lucy and The Ghoul navigate their differing worldviews while confronting the harsh realities of their post-apocalyptic environment.
What to Expect in Fallout Season 2?
As fans eagerly await the debut of Fallout Season 2, there is much to be excited about. With the show diving deeper into the mysteries of the wasteland and the evolving characters of Lucy and The Ghoul, the second season promises to deliver even more of the dark humour, moral quandaries, and post-apocalyptic action that fans love. The secret connection to Westworld adds an extra layer of depth to the show, as it continues to question the nature of humanity, technology, and survival.
Season 2 of Fallout will premiere on Prime Video on December 17, 2025. Fans can expect a thrilling new chapter in the Fallout saga that blends the best of science fiction, dystopian drama, and character-driven storytelling.
FAQs
Fallout Season 2 will premiere on Prime Video on December 17, 2025.
Yes, Jonathan Nolan revealed that many thematic elements from Westworld, such as technology and its impact on humanity, have influenced Fallout, especially in exploring the consequences of technological advancement.
Season 2 follows Lucy and The Ghoul as they embark on a high-stakes “buddy road trip” to find Lucy’s father, who was cryogenically frozen and reanimated hundreds of years later.
In addition to the Fallout video games, the series draws inspiration from the novel A Canticle for Leibowitz, which explores a post-apocalyptic world where society is trying to rebuild after nuclear war.
Lucy and The Ghoul will experience a tense and evolving dynamic, where they influence each other’s morals and worldviews while navigating the dangers of the wasteland.
