During the San Diego Comic-Con panel for the final season of The Walking Dead, former cast members Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira made surprise appearances. They announced that the feature film long in development about their characters has now become a 6-episode limited series, which will air on AMC in 2023.
The latest spinoff of The Walking Dead will present an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick Grimes (Lincoln) and Michonne (Gurira) are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... and ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive - or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?
Scott M. Gimple - who currently serves as Chief Content Officer for the extended Walking Dead universe - will serve as showrunner on the limited series. Lincoln and Gurira will also executive produce.
Lincoln's Rick Grimes was the lead character of The Walking Dead from its series premiere in 2010 until the fifth episode of Season 9. Gurira's Michonne joined the cast during the third season and eventually left during Season 10.
"This is a moment fans of The Walking Dead have been waiting for since Rick disappeared in the helicopter early in season nine, and Michonne journeyed away on a quest to find him the following season," said Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment, AMC Networks and AMC Studios. "What a great surprise for the fans at this final Comic-Con for the series that launched this universe and made television history. We couldn't be more excited for a truly epic series finale later this year and to see Andy and Danai return in a new series they helped create, one of three new series coming in 2023 that continue the stories of so many iconic and fan-favorite TWD characters."
"Rick and Michonne are two of my favorite people and Danai and Andy are two of my favorite people," shared Gimple. "Working with all of them continues to be a dream come true. The three of us, along with a terrific team of TWD all stars and incredible new voices, are crafting an insane love epic worth the long, long wait."
"This has been the most extraordinary journey playing Rick Grimes for the best part of a decade," added Lincoln. "The friendships I've made along the way are deep and lasting, so it's fitting that I finally get to complete the story with Danai and Scott and the rest of the TWD family. I'm so excited to be returning to the screen as Rick, reuniting with Danai as Michonne, and bringing the fans an epic love story to add to the Walking Dead Universe."
"Michonne and this TWD family has meant so much to me, and to continue the journey of these beloved characters, alongside Scott and Andy, both creatively and in front of the camera, and bringing The Walking Dead fans something truly special is just glorious," said Gurira. "I can't wait to pick up the katana again."