*This article contains spoilers for The Walking Dead season 10*
AMC has confirmed that a major villain from The Walking Dead universe is set to make an unexpected return in upcoming spin-off Tales of the Walking Dead.
For a few weeks now, it had been rumoured that Samantha Morton was going to reprise her role as ruthless Whisperers leader Alpha in the planned anthology series, and now the network has revealed that to be officially happening.
It announced the news alongside a report (via Deadline) that Morton will appear opposite Lauren Glazier, who most recently appeared in the second season of Netflix drama Mindhunter, in one of the new show's six standalone episodes. Matt Medrano (Yellowstone) has also joined cast.
What's perhaps most interesting about Alpha definitely being back is that it tells us Tales of the Walking Dead will be set at various different points throughout the zombie apocalypse. After terrorising Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) and co in seasons 9 and 10, Alpha was killed by Negan – so her episode of the spin-off will obviously be a prequel to those events.
Executive-produced by The Walking Dead's chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, and showrunner Channing Powell, the series will also feature appearances from Poppy Liu, Jessie T Usher, Anthony Edwards, Danny Ramirez, Jillian Bell, Terry Crews, Loan Chabanol, Embeth Davidtz, Parker Posey, and Olivia Munn. Haifaa Al-Mansour (Archive 81) and Tara Nicole Weyr are among those lined up to direct.
While filming is already underway in Atlanta, Georgia, a release date has yet to be announced.
Tales of the Walking Dead is just one spin-off the ever-growing Walking Dead universe has in the pipeline. There's also the yet-to-be-titled Carol and Daryl show, and Isle of the Dead, a New York City-based programme centered on Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan).
The Walking Dead is currently airing its 11th and final season, on AMC in the US and Disney Plus in the UK. If you're all up to date, and are unsure what to binge-watch next, then use our list of the best TV shows of all time for some inspiration. (Spoiler: We ranked The Walking Dead at #80).
