Inside: Major loss for ‘Walking Dead’ fans.
Numerous reports are saying that Andrew Lincoln, the face of “The Walking Dead,” is leaving the AMC zombie apocalypse drama.
Lincoln, who has played beleaguered former sheriff Rick Grimes since the show’s 2010 premiere, is expected to leave the series in its upcoming ninth season, sources have told The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets.
The reports said he will appear in a few episodes in Season 9; it is not known how his character will be written off the show.
With his departure, costar Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl, will become the show’s leading man. Reedus is in the midst of negotiating a new deal that will pay him more than $20 million to stay on the show, Us Weekly reported.
Lincoln’s departure is a major shock to the franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter and to fans.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lincoln’s exit from the show will be handled in a similar fashion to co-star Lauren Cohan, who will film only six episodes of the season. Cohan, who plays Maggie, opted to exit the highly rated AMC drama and booked the lead in ABC’s “Whiskey Cavalier” after her efforts to renegotiate a new deal to stay on “The Walking Dead” went south.
For creator Robert Kirkman’s comic book series on which the AMC drama is based, the Rick Grimes character remains the focal point.
But Lincoln’s decision wasn’t unexpected. The 44-year-old actor, who lives with his family in London, told The Hollywood Reporter in February: “There’s certainly an endgame in my head. Whether or not that’s the same endgame that’s in the producers’ heads or the people I work with, is another matter.”
His contract ended with Season 8. An insider told Us Weekly: “Andrew is leaving because he’s had enough of it and wants to focus his energy on movies.”
According to a report from Comic.com, Danai Guria, the “Black Panther” star and samurai swordwielding zombie killer Michonne on “The Walking Dead,” is also in her final year on the show.