‘The Walking Dead’ Movies, Spinoff Shows in the Works

Walkers will be roaming the world for years to come, with AMC reportedly looking at some major expansions for The Walking Dead franchise.

The Walking Dead universe may be expanding past its Sunday night timeslot on AMC, with Bloomberg reporting that the network is in talks with “several large media companies” in an effort to produce several movies and series based on the Robert Kirkman comic series of the same name.

The ambitious plan, which “collectively could cost several hundred million dollars,” could see AMC Networks “produce several movies for a TV network or streaming service that could spin off into different series,” as well as “take the franchise overseas, setting at least one series in another country.”

With actor Andrew Lincoln, who has portrayed Rick Grimes since the series’ pilot, set to make his exit in season nine, ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis speculated that one spinoff series or movie could even see his return.

“Whispers behind-the-scenes indicate potential for the actor to return to the franchise for a film in the future,” he wrote. “Such a move would allow the British actor to spend more months at home with his family, as desired, but keep his post-apocalyptic leader around to drive ticket sales and ratings.”

The comic series has already given way to a weekly Talking Dead recap show as well as a sister series in the form of Fear the Walking Dead, which is about to wrap its fourth season. The series has also spawned a web series, mobile games, and live events, such as Walker Stalker Con. Though with intentions to keep the series around for “the next decade, plus,” The Walking Dead could see itself grow into a franchise similar to Star Wars and Star Trek.

“Ownership of that content – call it Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead – allows us to determine the fate of that content, so we can navigate as we choose,” Chief Executive Officer Josh Sapan said at an investor conference. “If we manage it properly it has a long life, which is not to say it will always look like a TV series.”

For now, fans will have to settle with tuning into their TVs every Sunday for their fill of post-apocalyptic zombie drama, with The Walking Dead season nine set to premiere on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 9 p.m. ET following the conclusion of Fear The Walking Dead season four, which currently airs in that timeslot.