In a show like The Walking Dead, death lurks around every corner, waiting to snatch yet another cast-member into its dark embrace. Over the course of eight seasons of the AMC series, we've seen plenty of characters meet their end, but Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) has managed to survive relatively unscathed. That run of luck may be coming to an end however as Collider has reported that Andrew Lincoln will be exiting the long-running series sometime during the upcoming ninth season.
I can scarcely imagine The Walking Dead without Andrew Lincoln's distinctive growl (and beard) filling the screen, but it seems that it may be something we need to get used to, and far sooner than expected. Collider wasn't about to spoil just how Rick Grimes will be exiting the series, but they do say that we "can only expect to see Lincoln in half-a-dozen episodes of the upcoming season." With Lauren Cohan also returning for a limited number of episodes (six) due to her involvement with ABC's Whiskey Cavalier series, it's possible that we may lose more one long-running character. Who should lead the series after Andrew Lincoln's exit? Well, Collider hears that AMC has offered "substantial compensation" to Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, to take over the show's leading role. ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis adds that Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, is also entering the final year of her contract. With her film career taking off thanks to her role of Okoye in both BLACK PANTHER and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, the ninth season of The Walking Dead may be her last as well.
How do you feel about Andrew Lincoln leaving The Walking Dead? Can the series survive without him?