With ratings trending downward and major stars exiting, it seems as though The Walking Dead's run is coming to an end. The comic which the series is based off of recently concluded, so one wouldn't be faulted for wondering if it was only a matter of time before the flagship show followed. However, for those thinking the show's cancellation is just around the corner, creator Robert Kirkman recently asserted (much like AMC did prior) that's not the case.
Robert Kirkman revealed during The Walking Dead's panel at San Diego Comic-Con that while his comic may have concluded, that does not mean the AMC drama is soon to follow. CinemaBlend was there to document Kirkman's pep talk to the series' most dedicated fans, who were led to believe that things are only just getting started.
There’s something I really wanted to say to the fans, just because we’re here in Hall H covering The Walking Dead show. The comic book is something very special to me. And I think over the life of it you can see how it became or always was Rick Grimes’ story and Carl Grimes’ story, the same way that The Tell-Tell Game is Clementines story. So, that story had a natural conclusion. I was very excited to get to that point. I cannot thank any of you enough for the support and everything you do for the series that allowed me to get to that point. But, this show is about the world. We’ve proven that with the last season. So, anyone who’s concerned with the fact the comic book’s wrapped up means that Season 10 is going to somehow spontaneously end on Episode 4 as a surprise, that is NOT going to happen.
As Robert Kirkman said during San Diego Comic-Con, The Walking Dead will not just die now that the comics are done. In fact, it's his belief that the show can live on and continue to expand the universe in spite of the high profile exits the series has suffered.
Even if The Walking Dead was cancelled, it's hard to believe the show's universe will outright die. Fear The Walking Dead is well-established at this point, and Andrew Lincoln is set to star in a Rick Grimes-centered movie headed to theaters. In short, the universe is already expanding and evolving, so it's hard to believe The Walking Dead itself won't find a new way to carry on in the years to come.
Especially with Robert Kirkman volunteering his services to help keep things rolling. Kirkman revealed he's going to be working with The Walking Dead's decision makers Scott Gimple and Angela Kang, and hopefully figuring out some exciting directions to take the series in the future.
There’s a lot more story to tell. I’m very excited to be working with Scott and Angela to figure out if there are any other threads in the comic we didn’t quite get to bring the world past that point. I think there is some story to tell when you’re talking about the ‘world’ of The Walking Dead. I’m very excited about that, so no worries there.
Bottom line, don't worry about the future of The Walking Dead. The universe is going to live on in some form or another, and may even be around for decades to come. The question is, what will this universe look like down the line?
Expect The Walking Dead's Daryl And Negan To Work Together In Season 10
The Walking Dead returns for Season 10 in the fall, so stick with CinemaBlend for more details on it and other television and movie news.
