Even though it’s now entering its second decade, The Walking Dead screen franchise shows no signs of slowing down. Quite the opposite, in fact, with 2020 being a landmark year for the brand as it’s adding a third series to its ranks and expanding into cinemas, as well. AMC must have a lot of faith in the TWD universe, then, something that’s corroborated by the latest comments from network boss Sarah Barnett.
Speaking to Variety, the AMC programming president promised that there are many more stories to be told in the various corners of the franchise and that the aim is to continue being “creatively exceptional” with each new enterprise.
“I think there are lots of stories to be told from this universe. And I would say about that what I’d say about any of the development at AMC — which is that it has to be creatively exceptional.”
Let’s do a roll call for what we got coming this year in The Walking Dead universe. First of all, the aforementioned new spinoff series, titled The Walking Dead: World Beyond, begins later this month. The show will have a young adult bent, following a bunch of teenagers as they brave the zombie-filled outside world. After that, the parent series returns for the second half of its tenth season this February.
Meanwhile, in the summer, Fear the Walking Dead will reach its sixth season and over in theaters, the first of a planned trilogy of movies arrives at some point in the year, too, with Andrew Lincoln reprising his role as Rick Grimes. The film will explore what happened next to the former Alexandrian leader after he was taken away from his home via helicopter by Anne. It’s speculated that the movies will be set in Philadelphia. Then, of course, the parent series will return for its eleventh season at the tail-end of the year.
All in all, there will be a TWD episode virtually every Sunday in 2020. Which means Barnett’s right with her comments, as there are clearly many, many more stories left to be told in The Walking Dead universe.
