IT’S ‘DEAD’ END
Long-running series ‘Walking’ to its final season
The zombies vs. humans battle may finally have a winner.
“The Walking Dead,” the long-running AMC show about the zombie apocalypse, will end in late 2022 after an extended 11th season, the cable channel announced Wednesday.
“It’s been 10 years ‘ gone bye’; what lies ahead are two more to come and stories and stories to tell beyond that,” Scott Gimple, chief content officer of the “Walking Dead” universe, said in a statement.
The show, based on the comic book series of the same name that was created by Robert Kirkman, had already announced six additional episodes for its 10th season, which will air in early 2021. The 24-episode 11th season is expected to launch later that year and run through run through late 2022.
“What’s clear is that this show has been about the living, made by a passionate cast, team of writer/producers, producers and crew, bringing to life the vision put forth by Robert Kirkman in his brilliant comic — and supported by the best fans in the world,” Gimple said.
But the zombie apocalypse isn’t actually over yet. Beyond the existing spinoffs — “Fear the Walking Dead” and the upcoming “World Beyond” — AMC announced Wednesday that it’s adding another to the list, which will focus on fan favorites Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) and be run by current “Walking Dead” showrunner Angela Kang.
‘We have a lot of thrilling story left to tell on TWD, and then, this end will be a beginning of more ‘Walking Dead’ — brand-new stories and characters, familiar faces and places, new voices, and new mythologies. This will be a grand finale that will lead to new premieres,” said Gimple.
McBride, whose Carol character shares a close friendship with Reedus’ Daryl, said, “I’ve always enjoyed working so closely with Norman throughout these many seasons. In playing Carol, and as a viewer of the show, I’ve also long been intrigued with ‘Daryl and Carol,’ and by what so early on between them, even then, felt somehow bound.
“Their shared history is long, and each’s own personal fight to survive, even longer — the more obvious aspect of what has kept them close and loyal. But there is also a rather mysterious aspect to their fondness for one another that I enjoy, and their playfulness when the world permits. I’m very curious!”
Reedus said in a statement that the show has “changed my life and career.”
Their spinoff, which has not yet been named, is expected to launch in 2023.
AMC also teased a new “Tales of the Walking Dead” series, “an episodic anthology with individual episodes or arcs of episodes focused on new or existing characters, backstories or other stand-alone experiences,” but provided few details.