With AMC’s “The Walking Dead” being on the air for 10 seasons and its spin-off series “Fear the Walking Dead” about to start its fifth season, you would think that fans of all things related to a zombie-infested post-apocalyptic world would have their hands full. Well, they will have more to sink their teeth into as AMC announced Monday morning that the network had green-lit its third series to take place within “The Walking Dead” universe.
The as-yet-unnamed new series will be based on the comics created by author Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard. The series was co-created by Scott M. Gimple, the chief content officer of the “Walking Dead” universe, and Matt Negrete, a longtime writer and producer of “The Walking Dead” who will act as the showrunner for this new project. The show will begin production on 10 new episodes this summer in the state of Virginia, with plans to air on AMC sometime in 2020.
“Showing audiences an unseen pocket of ‘The Walking Dead’ universe steeped in new mythology is a very cool way to celebrate a ‘Decade of the Dead’ on TV and over 15 years of Robert Kirkman’s brilliant comic,” said Gimple in a release. “Matt Negrete is one of the best writer-producers in ‘TWD’’s long history — I’m thrilled to be working beside him to tell stories unlike we’ve seen before, taking our first step into an even larger world.”
Negrete also shared his excitement to dig his heels deeper into the world created in the comics. “I’m beyond excited to be a part of this new show set in ‘The Walking Dead’ universe,” said Negrete in the release. “Writing and producing for the original series has been the job of a lifetime and I’m honored to be working with Scott and all the fine ‘Dead’ folks at AMC in this new capacity. I can’t wait for the fans of the franchise to see what we’ve been cooking up!”
While there have been no casting announcements for this new zombie-filled project, a press release from AMC explained that the show would follow the lives of two young female protagonists who were born into this cruel world and must choose what kind of people they will grow up to be. As fans of both “The Walking Dead” and “Fear the Walking Dead” know all too well, it could go one of two ways.
“We’re thrilled that the ‘Dead’ will keep walking into a new corner of the post-apocalyptic world, a corner that will present stories and characters unlike any that ‘The Walking Dead’ has dramatized thus far, and that is bound to excite one of the most passionate fanbases in television,” said David Madden, president of programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios in the release. “Scott has been an invaluable leader for the universe since taking on the role of chief content officer, with a distinct and innovative vision for the franchise. Likewise, we’re excited to have Matt, who has been a crucial part of ‘The Walking Dead’ family for over five years and penned many memorable episodes of ‘TWD,’ at the helm of this original series.”
