The Walking Dead is coming to an end with season 11. But, like a Walker who just won't go down, the undead franchise will return – just not as we know it. Two new spin-offs have been announced. And these are all-new spin-offs, not Fear the Walking Dead, the upcoming Beyond Worlds, or the Rick Grimes movies.
The first will revolve around Daryl and Carol, played by Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride. Turns out they won't be riding off together into the sunset post-season 10, and instead will be dealing with more mouldy undeads. The spin-off has been created by Walking Dead overseer Scott Gimble, with Angela Kang – who currently acts as showrunner on the main series – as executive producer.
"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," Kang said. "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.”
Reedus said of the news: "I feel incredibly honored to be a part of The Walking Dead. This show changed my life and career and everyone involved has truly been a family for me over the last decade. I’m thankful for AMC’s love and support and know there’s so much more story to tell and so much more to bring the best fans in the world. Daryl’s relationship with Carol has always been my favorite relationship on the show (sorry Rick). I love the way these characters interact and relate to each other on so many levels and can’t wait to see where their ride goes from here.”
McBride said: "Of course, 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! Angela has a way of shaking things up in great and unexpected ways. She’s like a kid playing with the dimmer switch! I’m very excited!"
And that's not the only spin-off on the way. Gimple is developing another new series titled Tales of the Walking Dead, which is reported to be “an episodic anthology with individual episodes or arcs of episodes focused on new or existing characters, backstories or other stand-alone experiences.” That, of course, means we can expect to see some characters who previously left the series to return.
Phew. That's a lot of Walking Dead. The main series returns this October, as does fear the Walking Dead and the Beyond Worlds series.
