AMC has always been clear about their intentions to continue expanding their Walking Dead franchise beyond the two shows that already air in rotation on the network, the original The Walking Dead and its companion series Fear the Walking Dead, and now they have officially given the greenlight to a third series that will be set during the zombie apocalypse.
Fans may remember that it took quite a while for the title Fear the Walking Dead to be confirmed for the first spin-off, so it should come as no surprise that this third series doesn't have a title yet. Whatever it ends up being called, it's going to center on
two young female protagonists and focus on the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse as we know it. Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad.
Since The Walking Dead is already a decade into the zombie outbreak at this point, we've been seeing similar characters on the main show recently. Ones like Carol and King Ezekiel's adopted son Henry, Whisperer leader Alpha's daughter Lydia, and the precocious Judith Grimes. I can't say this "Children of the Walking Dead" concept instantly gets me hyped for the new show, but I'm going to be watching it regardless.
The new series was created by Walking Dead universe chief content officer Scott M. Gimple and The Walking Dead writer/producer Matt Negrete. Negrete will be serving as showrunner on the series, which is set to begin filming in Virginia this summer.
The first season of the show will consist of 10 episodes, and it's going to premiere sometime in 2020.
Gimple had this to say about the new project:
Showing audiences an unseen pocket of The Walking Dead universe steeped in a 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. 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 added:
I’m beyond excited to be a part of this new show set in The Walking Dead Universe. 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!"
We'll keep you updated on this series as more information is made available.
In the meantime, Fear the Walking Dead and the recap talk show Talking Dead will be returning to AMC airwaves on June 2nd.