Are you ready for a world where there’s basically a Walking Dead show on, like, all the time? Because between the original Walking Dead, spinoff Fear the Walking Dead, and the upcoming The Walking Dead: World Beyond, it kind of looks like that’s where we’re headed.
World Beyond is the new hotness right now, a show revolving around a number of teenagers who came of age after the zombie apocalypse. This is the only world they’ve ever known, and it looks like they approach it with more high-spirited fervor than do the hardbitten survivors from the other series. Or at least that’s the impression I’m getting from the teaser:
Narrating that teaser is Elizabeth (Julia Ormond), who plays the pragmatic leader of the civilization our young heroes are a part of. This civilization is dedicated to rebuilding the world devastated by the Walker menace, but things must not be entirely rosy, because the story involves a bunch of younger people — including Hope (Alexa Mansour), Iris (Aliyah Royale), Elton (Nicolas Cantu) and Silas (Hal Cumpston) — leaving the relative safety of the walls to explore the wild world beyond.
“What I love about World Beyond is that it starts with a younger group and people who were really young when this all started,” Ormond told the AMC Blog. “For them, it’s like ‘OK, boomers. You guys messed up. It’s up to us to save the world.’ It’s definitely got that vibe.”
"I think [Elizabeth, my character, is] more in the pragmatic zone. For me, the pragmatism that some of the characters have is really about devoting yourself to the future of the human race — not even the planet. The planet is going to survive, but it’s the human race that’s at risk. What role do you take? What tactics do you sign up for? At some point, the buck has to stop somewhere."
Once again, I’m wondering what inspires the teens to abandon ship. Surely saving the human race is a goal most people can agree on? Maybe Elizabeth’s methods are unsavory.
Anyway, while we contemplate that, take a look at these character posters for the show:
I feel like I always bring this up, but with ratings for the original Walking Dead show falling, you have to wonder if this is a good time to introduce a second spinoff. And remember, there are also going to be a series of movies starring former cast member Andrew Lincoln that explore the further adventures of Rick Grimes.
Will World Beyond’s youth-centered story bring in some new fans? We’ll find out when the first season debuts sometime in 2020!
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Watch Game of Thrones for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels
h/t ComicBook.com