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The Walking Dead Creator Allays Fears That Rick Grimes Is Next To Go

Robert Kirkman, creative mind behind The Walking Dead, has downplayed talk that Rick Grimes is next in line to be killed off.

When it comes to The Walking Dead, no one is safe. And we really mean no one.

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Ever since Robert Kirkman’s magnum opus shuffled onto the small screen eight years ago, the creative genius has long maintained that any one character can be killed off at any time. There are exceptions to the rule, of course; someone like Daryl Dixon or Maggie Rhee naturally has a better life expectancy than most, if not all of the show’s ensemble cast.

But now that Carl is ostensibly out of the picture, what does the future hold for Rick Grimes? A fiery confrontation with Negan, we imagine, but Kirkman is quietly confident that Andrew Lincoln’s series stalwart will remain a part of The Walking Dead saga for years to come. In short, don’t expect the series creator to bump off Rick anytime soon.

I don’t expect that. That’s not an intention, there. I’ve said from the very beginning that no one is safe. I do strongly feel like the show could survive without a Rick Grimes. There’s certainly a lot of story to tell without that central character. I’ve talked a lot about how Rick Grimes will definitely die in the comic book series at some point before the series’ conclusion, just because I want to make sure everyone knows that no one is safe. But I don’t think you should read too much into that [scene].

The comic book scribe then went on to highlight the importance of Carl’s death. It’s a catalyst in the eyes of Kirkman, and as last Sunday’s episode, “The Lost and the Plunderers,” proved, it is one that’ll help propel The Walking Dead forward – in season 8 and beyond.

Carl’s death really is a huge catalyst that sets the stage for the majority of the rest of season eight. It’s not only going to affect Rick in some pretty obviously significant ways, but it will also have an effect on Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). It’s going to play into this conflict in some interesting and unexpected ways. We wanted to have a huge emotional sendoff for Chandler and the character, and I’m very happy that we accomplished that. But Carl’s legacy will live on in some very big and important ways for many episodes and possibly seasons to come.

Besides, with a ninth season already on the cards, The Walking Dead needs its leader now more than ever, as Robert Kirkman tells The Hollywood Reporter:

It’s indicative of an overall effort by AMC to shore things up as we move into Season Nine and really make sure we’re in the strongest footing possible for the future. As franchises start to get long in the tooth, you can lose your way a little bit. We want to desperately try to avoid that. We’re poised for bigger and better things extremely late in our run. We’re moving into year nine here, where most shows start to wrap up. I think the future is bright, and there’s a lot of really great material coming up from the comic book, and not from the comic book, that will keep this universe viable for many, many years.

The Walking Dead season 8 currently has another six episodes in the tank, beginning with “Dead or Alive Or” this coming Sunday. And you’ll be able to find a raft of promos and extended clips for the AMC series below.