The companion series to The Walking Dead has launched its first teaser trailer, setting the stage for its summer premiere later this year. Brandishing its recently-confirmed title – Fear The Walking Dead – the spinoff began to generate pre-release buzz during last night’s Walking Dead season 5 finale. The debut teaser was broadcast in a commercial break for the show-stopping season closer, offering fans a look at another U.S. city devastated by the undead.
Unlike AMC’s flagship zombie serial, which kicked off after the virulent flesh-eating disease had struck, Fear The Walking Dead will commence on the cusp of the zombie outbreak. Los Angeles, California serves as the backdrop for another clutch of survivors who must face the perils of the unwashed, unkempt and undead masses keen to sink their teeth into human flesh.
This new troupe of survivors include Cliff Curtis (Gang Related) as Sean Cabrera, a divorced teacher dealing with joint custody of his son; Kim Dickens (Sons Of Anarchy) as Nancy, a guidance counsellor who works with and dates Sean; Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) as Nancy’s drug-addicted son, Nick; and Alycia Debnam Carey (Into the Woods) as Nancy’s spirited daughter, Ashley.
None of this new group make an appearance in the trailer, which serves to establish where the show is situated in the timeline of the Dead mythology. A radio DJ’s voiceover cautions listeners with regard to a highly-contagious flu spreading across multiple states. His cheery disposition makes way for the unmistakable sight of a walker, its lumbering shadow visible in a darkened tunnel.
As teasers go, it’s a tasty morsel that’s over almost as soon as it begins. This is hopefully the start of many more sneaky peeks AMC will drop over the coming months, before Fear The Walking Dead airs its six-episode first season this summer.
