The Walking Dead Season 8 May Premiere A Little Later Than Expected

With news that Fear The Walking Dead season 3 continues on September 10th, ComicBook.com is reporting that its next of kin, The Walking Dead, may return a little later than expected.

Traditionally, AMC’s flesh-munching flagship begins its new season in the second week of October, before going on hiatus midway through December. Following a two-month break, The Walking Dead then returns in time for February, when AMC rolls out the remaining eight episodes to satiate wanting fans.

The Walking Dead season 7 was really the exception to the rule. Late last year, the network ensured viewers were left on tenterhooks by unveiling a “Journey So Far” special in the weeks leading up to “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be,” which pulled in a staggering 17 million viewers on October 23rd, 2016. Barring TWD‘s first season, which ushered Robert Kirkman’s beloved comic book series onto the small screen in time for Halloween back in 2010, the show’s monumental seventh season began far later than anyone expected. Will the same be true of The Walking Dead season 8?

AMC is not opposed to some overlap between The Walking Dead and its ongoing companion series, but considering that Fear The Walking Dead‘s season 3 will run through until October 22nd, the network may hold fire on TWD season 8 until the following Sunday (October 29th) in order to prevent a conflict of interests. Sometimes you can really have too much of a good thing.

Exactly when The Walking Dead season 8 will premiere is anyone’s guess, but assuming ComicBook.com is onto something with today’s report, AMC’s long-running zombie series could be left competing with Stranger Things, now that Netflix’s hit original series is locked in for a return on October 27th. Both shows are expected to have a presence at SDCC next weekend, so keep your peepers peeled on We Got This Covered for more information over the coming days.