The Walking Dead Spin-Off Shows Could Be Leading to Crossover Event, Says Franchise Boss

Summary

• The Walking Dead spin-offs have reinvigorated the franchise’s storytelling and could potentially lead to a crossover event.
• The return of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in The Ones Who Live has been highly anticipated by fans.
• The new spin-off series featuring Rick and Michonne is expected to be the biggest of the three spin-offs released so far, with the potential for a strong ratings performance.

The Walking Dead has gone from a shambling shell to an impressive piece of storytelling again thanks to its recent run of spin-offs focusing on some of the franchise’s most-loved characters. Following the success of Dead City, with Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohen reprising their roles as Negan and Maggie, and Daryl Dixon, which featured Norman Reedus as, surprise surprise, Daryl Dixon, next up is the long-awaited return of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in The Ones Who Live. According to franchise overseer Scott Gimple, there is always a chance that these spin-offs could one day come together in a crossover event.

The Walking Dead

Release Date October 31, 2010

Seasons 10

Studio AMC

Franchise The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead came to an end after 11 seasons, and many felt that it was the right thing for the series. However, fans have been getting just as much Walking Dead action thanks to the arrival of its new spin-offs, and the popularity of these shows has raised the question whether there is a chance that the new stories could all lead to a reunion between the franchise’s biggest characters.

Speaking at AMC’s panel during the Television Critics Association press tour, Gimple responded to whether a crossover event could happen, saying:

So when it comes to something like [a crossover event between the new spinoffs], yeah, I do have dreams of merging this all together, and I have laid little breadcrumbs toward that, but you never know exactly when and how because of a variety of reasons… I will just say, I’m building those pathways, but there could be all sorts of pivots along the way.

Related The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Cast & Character Guide Find out which characters are poised to return and which new characters will appear in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.

Has Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes Return Taken Too Long?

AMC

Rick Grimes made his last appearance in The Walking Dead during season 9. At the time, it was announced that Lincoln would return to his role for a trilogy of movies that would continue Rick’s story.

However, over time, the movies failed to materialize and, despite frequent comments that they were still being developed, fans began to believe that they would never see what happened to Rick after he was spirited away in a helicopter. Now, that story is at long last being told in the newest spin-off series, but is there still an appetite for the continuation of Rick’s tale?

AMC will be hoping that there is, as the series brings Rick and Michonne back together, and also features others from the franchise’s past, such as Pollyanna McIntosh’s Jadis. Although it may not be the cinematic movie offering that was originally promised, Rick was the heart of the series for so long that it is impossible to think the new series will not become the biggest of the three spin-offs released so far.

So far, Dead City and Daryl Dixon have both been renewed for second seasons, but The Ones Who Live is currently slated to be a limited series. Of course, that could all change very quickly if the show pulls in some strong ratings, and Gimple’s desire to have these shows cross paths in the future does suggest that this will not be Rick’s final Walking Dead adventure.

The Walking Dead spin-off shows can be streamed in the U.S. on AMC+. The Ones Who Live will premiere on AMC on February 25.

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