The zombie-infested world, propped from Robert Kirkman’s popular comic books, will soon become all the more richer, with AMC announcing on Friday that they have ordered the pilot for a companion series to their immensely popular The Walking Dead. Since the day this apocalyptic series premiered fans have often wondered what is going on outside of the group of survivors we have all come to know and love over these past four years; those questions are about to be answered.
The title of the new project is yet to be announced, but at least we know that it’ll be in good hands. Kirkman has jumped on board as one of the executive producers along with Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, and Dave Erickson (Sons of Anarchy; Marco Polo). Kirkman described the upcoming companion series as a “new universe” for fans:
“There are many corners of ‘The Walking Dead’ universe that remain unseen in the shadows. Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill. I know the fans are anxious to hear what Dave and I have been cooking up for this new universe of ‘The Walking Dead,’ and I’m happy to be one step closer to sharing it with them,” he said in a statement.
The series will be going into production later this year and is said to explore the harrowing fallout of the zombie apocalypse in other parts of the world, meaning that we will be venturing far from the areas in and around Atlanta, Georgia, for a completely new perspective. This eliminates the chances of the two shows crossing over too much and doesn’t feel like a spin-off that’s trying too hard.
“Obviously, we all take our stewardship of the original franchise incredibly seriously and we, along with Robert, Gale, David and now Dave, are all proceeding with extreme care in order to ensure that we are offering fans something truly compelling, engaging and distinct,” said Charlie Collier, AMC president. “We’re thrilled to be taking this next step with these remarkable partners.”
With the fifth season of The Walking Dead set to premiere on October 12th, we will be seeing an escalation of just how intense things have become for people that have managed to survive this long in a zombie wasteland. It’s hard to imagine just how much it’s affected people in other cities around the globe.
Kirkman is also reportedly working on a pilot based on his most recent comic book Outcast, a project which has been ordered by Cinemax. AMC are working with Kirkman on developing a show based on his Book of Thieves, and the comic mastermind will also be serving as an executive producer for Syfy’s adaptation of Clone. How far he has come from managing to scrape together a mind-blowing six-episode first season for The Walking Dead to being one of the most in-demand figures in cable television today.
“The Walking Dead” returns for Season 5 on Oct. 12. Watch the trailer below
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