Though we wouldn’t say to give up hope just yet, it’s not looking likely that Lauren Cohan will be back for season 9 of AMC’s The Walking Dead.
For weeks now, the actress has been on the fence, with reports saying she’s trying to negotiate for more pay but the network just isn’t budging. And while showrunner Scott Gimple did sound optimistic about a deal being made soon – ahead of production getting underway this May – Variety now brings word that Cohan has signed on to lead ABC drama Whiskey Cavalier.
Now, the outlet notes that this is just a pilot and even if it does move forward, the actress still has the opportunity to return to The Walking Dead on a “recurring basis.” Or, alternatively, she could just walk away from it completely, given she’ll have another show to work on. Right now, it’s still too early to tell what’ll happen, but considering that Cohan’s boarded the ABC series, it’s not looking good.
From what we understand, Whiskey Cavalier is a “high-octane hour-long action dramedy that follows the adventures of tough but tender FBI super agent Will Chase (Scott Foley) who, following an emotional break-up, is assigned to work with badass CIA operative Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge (Cohan). Together, they lead an inter-agency team of flawed, funny, heroic spies who periodically save the world (and each other) while navigating the rocky roads of friendship, romance and office politics.”
Again, there’s no sense in sounding the alarm just yet, as this new pilot may not even get ordered to series. If it is, though, then it’ll drastically reduce the chances of Cohan returning to The Walking Dead. And that’d be a real shame, not to mention a huge blow to fans. Especially after losing Glenn (Steven Yeun) just a few years ago. There’s also the fact that Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) on his way out the exit door at the moment, which makes us think AMC would be doing everything they can to make sure Cohan’s character, Maggie doesn’t follow.
As always, we’ll continue to keep you posted as more on this situation develops, but The Walking Dead fans would be wise to enjoy this last half of season 8, as it may be the final few episodes that feature Lauren Cohan.
