Yesterday, AMC gave us a little taste of the zombie-drama to come with a quick teaser for The Walking Dead Season 9. On the heels of today’s Comic-Con panel, the first full trailer for the pivotal upcoming season has landed online, offering a sneak peek at the survivor factions as they attempt to forge a new, more peaceful life with one another in the wake of Negan’s reign of terror.
It is a confusing time to follow The Walking Dead. A few major upsets had fans wondering if Season 9 might break from the comic entirely, but first photos from the Georgia set tease a strange new (albeit familiar) look for the AMC zombie drama. Is that time-jump happening after all?
Soft ratings on The Walking Dead Season 8 have raised questions of the series longevity, and we at last have an answer. The flagship AMC drama will return for a ninth season with (most of) its cast intact, though Angela Yang will take over for Scott Gimple as showrunner.
We’re accustomed to death on The Walking Dead, and doubly-so when the comics provide a road map. That’s what made that climactic bite in Sunday’s midseason finale such a shocker, and – before you ask – both producers and the actor in question confirm the character’s exit, noting “[That bite] is a one-way ticket.”
The Walking Dead has reached an age where AMC must naturally consider an endpoint, or at least where stars might jump ship. Even Rick might leave this world behind at some point, and both Andrew Lincoln and showrunners are already considering the possibility.