The Walking Dead season 9 will see our ragtag group of heroes attempt to salvage some semblance of civilization now that the brutal war between the Saviors and AHK forces is done and dusted.
At least, that’s according to former showrunner Scott M. Gimple, who is about to hand over the torch to Angela Kang, a long-time writer and producer of The Walking Dead who has since been elected showrunner of season 9. But more on that later.
During a recent interview with TV Line (h/t ComicBook.com), Gimple offered up one or two shreds of intel relating to The Walking Dead‘s ninth season, including how Rick and the gang will react to the shocking events of season 8’s all-consuming finale.
I think what’s exciting about next season is, just by virtue of the narrative, the story evolves a great deal. From the things said in the finale, there’s a bigger ambition now, a bigger thing that they’re chasing. It isn’t just regular, everyday survival, which they’ve become quite adept at. It’s what to do with that. Now they’re going after civilization.
As for the appointment of Kang, series lead Andrew Lincoln, whose Rick Grimes experienced a crazy amount of strife and heartbreak all throughout season 8, previewed the upcoming transition, and what it means for those on the other side of the lens.
There’s a renewed vigor, vitality, energy, and just vision that’s happening that is reminiscent, and certainly for me, of the pilot episode. There’s a lot of things in there that I kind of dig that she’s looking into. The things that I loved about the pilot episode, there’s a few ideas in there that she’s expanding and running with, which is very exciting.
Season 9 of The Walking Dead has been tentatively slated for a premiere in October – a month it currently shares with the new series of Doctor Who – and word is it’ll feel like a totally different show now that AMC’s adaptation of “All-Out War” has come to a close.
