With The Walking Dead drawing to a close at the end of its 11th season, one might assume that the franchise would be showing signs of slowing down — and one would be wrong. The current spin-offs Fear The Walking Dead and World Beyond are continuing, and AMC representatives and creator Robert Kirkman has been dropping hints left and right about new series that are in the works. Though at present only two of these are confirmed, the suggestion of a Walking Dead themed cooking show and the highly vague suggestion that there might be a non-English language spin-off down the line has got our heads spinning with possibilities.
Confirmed: Tales of the Walking Dead
Overseen by The Walking Dead franchise’s content chief Scott Gimple, this anthology format series is set to focus on “new and existing characters, backstories, and stand-alone experiences.” The amorphous nature of an anthology series might make it a little hard to figure out what exactly to expect from the show, but on the plus side, the potential is truly limitless. Old favorites that have long since died could make comebacks through flashback stories, or we might see far into the distant futures or pasts of The Walking Dead mainstays. Whatever the series has in store for us, horror anthologies are always a heck of a lot of fun, and tying one into the greater mythos of The Walking Dead could very well be a way to ignite interest from new fans.
Confirmed: Caryl
Since the early days of the show, Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) have been fan favorites, so it’s not too much of a surprise to hear that their journey will be continuing on after the wrap of Season 11. Though they are essentially absent from the comic series, they’ve defined a lot of what people love about the show by giving us two morally complicated, incredibly loyal but often unpredictable heroes. Though the Caryl series is planned to be relatively short compared to the lengthy eleventh season, one assumes it will explore the events that occur after the grand finale with a focus on these two beloved characters, granting the show space to clear the slate and start anew while keeping a strong link with its past.
Rumored: Negan
Both in the comic series and on the show, Negan has been a recurring antihero that creators and fans alike just can’t get enough of, so it only stands to reason that in the wild world of potential The Walking Dead spin-offs, his is a name that has been getting thrown around. The potential of such a series, exploring the inner workings of this complicated former antagonist, are many, but there hasn’t been much public discussion of what this might actually look like outside of fan speculation. It’s hard to say where the end of season eleven will leave Negan, but Kirkman famously noted in an afterword for comic, “P.S. Negan lives,” so one can only assume that we’ll be seeing more of him, whether that be in his own series or in the other spin-offs.
Rumored: Dead In The Water
This is another The Walking Dead series that we know painfully little about, but the central premise — a digital series that takes place entirely underwater on a submarine during the zombie apocalypse — is already more than enough to give us the chills. Whether it will feature returned characters or an all-new cast, the concept is enticing all on its own.
Rumored: Run The Dish
Have you ever wondered what cooking shows would look like during the apocalypse? Us neither, but we’re about to find out. Another digital-release series featuring a mash-up between The Walking Dead and Complex’s First We Feast, this will focus on “apocalypse-inspired dishes.” There isn’t much information beyond that central premise, but much like Dead In The Water, it’s an idea that pretty much sells itself. One can only assume that the series will feature some wildly entertaining cameos, so we’re clearing space in our kitchen to set up a laptop as we speak.
Confirmed: The Rick Grimes Movies
There is little information around the Rick Grimes based films that are in the works, and even Kirkman has jokingly noted that he’ll be excited for everyone to see it “in 2032.” Yet, we do know for certain that the series will aim to take the character in a wildly different direction. Though he was a main protagonist of The Walking Dead throughout much of its run, the show and the comic both operated more as ensemble pieces. The intent of these films would be to focus entirely on Rick, and would seek to steer the character away from the standard show format into a realm all his own. What that might entail is hard to say, but chances are it’ll involve lots and lots of Walkers.
