A lot of fans are convinced that AMC's The Walking Dead franchise is running out of steam as the flagship show heads into its ninth season and its companion series Fear the Walking Dead wraps up its fourth… But that's not an opinion shared by the network. As far as AMC is concerned, they're not even halfway done making Walking Dead projects.
While making an appearance at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference, AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan said,
The Walking Dead is a universe… and we have a plan to manage over the next decade, plus. That plan is a careful plan to respect the world of the fans of that world."
Sources informed Bloomberg that the plan to keep The Walking Dead going for another 10+ years will include the production of
multiple movies and new TV shows based on the graphic novels that spawned the series … AMC has talked to several large media companies about partnering on the projects, which collectively could cost several hundred million dollars
These Walking Dead movies would be produced for either television or streaming services, the hope being that they would spin off into new shows. One idea is to
take the franchise overseas, setting at least one series in another country.
Scott M. Gimple, who served as the showrunner of The Walking Dead on seasons four through eight, was promoted to "Chief Content Officer" of the Walking Dead franchise so he can oversee the development of the projects that will make up the future of the Dead brand.
Even with its ratings gradually declining, The Walking Dead is still one of the most watched shows on television. Fatigue is definitely setting in, though, and I'm not sure how many viewers are going to be willing to stick around and spend another decade in the Dead world. AMC is going to have to come up with something really awesome to revitalize the franchise.