When you see this news you probably have one of two reactions: I can’t believe it or it’s about time. AMC announced today that The Walking Dead will end when Season 11 wraps up. Before you freak out thinking that it’s all over this year, the plot thickens.
It looks like it will take two years for Season 11 to conclude. There are 30 episodes left, so that makes sense. Filming difficulties due to COVID are likely contributing to that, but I’m sure fans will take it. This also doesn’t mean the end entirely. A spinoff series focused on Darryl Dixon and Carol Peletier has been announced to follow after the main series ends. There will also be a Tales of The Walking Dead anthology series. That will focus on not just existing characters, but new characters. This will provide backstories, stand alone tales and much more to expand the universe.
Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride will reprise their roles as Darryl and Carol. The series will have Angela Kang, who co-created the series with Scott M. Gimple (chief content officer of “The Walking Dead” Universe) as showrunner. Kang will be the showrunner for the spinoff, but Gimple will be coordinating the anthology series. The spinoff is expected to begin in 2023.
“I look forward to digging in with our brilliant writers, producers, directors, cast and crew to bring this epic final chapter of Robert Kirkman’s story to life for our fans over the next two years,” said Kang. “The Walking Dead flagship series has been my creative home for a decade and so it’s bittersweet to bring it to an end, but I could not be more excited to be working with Scott Gimple and AMC to develop a new series for Daryl and Carol. Working with Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride has been a highlight of my career and I’m thrilled that we get to keep telling stories together.“
AMC has also promised more content from the franchise, but nothing official beyond what we already know and was announced today. There were also no updates on the planned movies from The Walking Dead universe, one of which was supposed to focus on Rick Grimes.
More on this as it develops.
Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC