AMC’s Planning A “Multigenerational Universe” For The Walking Dead

What does the future hold for The Walking Dead?

It’s currently the million-dollar question hanging over AMC, and it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine the network’s leading executives huddled over a magic 8-ball, desperately seeking answers for a Walking Dead series without Rick Grimes at its core.

OK, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it’s no secret that the AMC flagship is on the verge of a major sea change, what with Andrew Lincoln (and Lauren Cohan!) headed for the exit door. Don’t let that fool you into thinking that AMC was ready to call time on The Walking Dead, though – if anything, the network is plotting an aggressive expansion.

As AMC/SundanceTV chief Charlie Collier tells Variety, there are plans in place for a multi-generational universe being built for The Walking Dead.

It starts on television. But you’ve got to connect with people where they live — on TV, on the ground, online. We are spending a lot of time trying to better understand what drives our fans.

Collier is likely referring to The Walking Dead‘s sister series, Fear, along with the many comic and video game properties currently in active development – save for Telltale Games, sadly.

When it comes to television, the character of Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) will clearly be a big fixture of The Walking Dead moving forward – ditto for Daryl (Norman Reedus) – as Collier tells Variety.

We realized that there were a lot of people who identified with Carol’s story of having been the victim of domestic violence. And then she turns into a badass in this terrible landscape where people have to decide who they are going to be when there are no more rules.

Meanwhile, The Walking Dead season 9 continues this Sunday with the premiere of “Warning Signs.” And for Rick Grimes, it seems the clock is ticking…