AMC Reveals Decade-Long Plans for ‘The Walking Dead’ Franchise

The AMC zombie universe continues picking up steam. With only two episodes left for Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 and The Walking Dead premiering this October, people are already asking—will this show ever end? Andrew Lincoln is leaving the show come TWD’s midseason finale; Former Fear lead Kim Dickens was killed off midway through season 4, and there’s an overbearing sense of finality to the show. But this question was finally answered today in a recent AMC network meeting with investors and executives.

According to Deadline, The Walking Dead universe is very likely to stay for another decade (and maybe longer). Since the show has a lot of characters and other unexplored realms, it would make sense for more spinoffs, crossovers, and possibly new shows to spring forth from The Walking Dead‘s infinite well of stories. AMC CEO Josh Sapan made the series’ future apparent when he confirmed the news during the meeting. Jim Maiella, AMC’s SVP and Co-Head of Corporate Communications noted Sapan’s comments on Twitter. “The Walking Dead universe and the apocalypse … is a subject that has an eternal quality to it, because it’s about how society organizes itself,” said Sapan (via Maiella’s Tweet). “We have a plan to manage it over the next decade plus … a very careful plan.”

And speaking of society organizing itself, The Walking Dead season 9’s themes are exactly what Sapan describes. The show will premiere with a one-year time jump and will show the survivors of Alexandria, The Hilltop, The Kingdom, and the Sanctuary in perfect harmony (or so we think).

It’s good to hear that the network is keen on making the most popular cable TV show run for quite some time—even after its lead departs this year. To make things even more exciting, new Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang will bring the main cast to New York in early October for PaleyFest and the New York Comic-Con. And as with any Comic-Con, expect sneak previews of the upcoming season. However, The Walking Dead PaleyFest event will feature more than just sneak peeks, but a full screening of Season 9’s first episode. Now THAT looks very promising.

With all the changes that The Walking Dead is incorporating into its bloodline, here’s to hoping that Cable’s best show would take us to places in the zombie apocalypse that we’ve never seen before.

Fear the Walking Dead continues next Sunday, September 23rd, with “I Lose People…” at 9/8c on AMC. The Walking Dead Season 9 premieres October 7th at 8/9c.