Dead City showrunner teases huge differences from The Walking Dead
By Ashley Hurst
After 11 seasons, The Walking Dead is officially over… well, except for the myriad spin-offs coming our way. First up is Dead City, which follows Maggie and Negan to a post-apocalyptic New York City!
Set to premiere in June, Dead City is the first of two Walking Dead spinoff shows slated to drop this year. The Daryl Dixon show will air later in 2023, while the Rick Grimes and Michonne series has been pushed back to 2024. Even with the cancelation of Fear the Walking Dead, that’s still a lot of zombies.
Creator Eli Jorné dropped some details about the show during the Television Critics Association press tour. Why would Maggie and Negan, who hate each other, be willing to work together? Apparently, the story focuses on Maggie’s son Hershel being kidnapped and taken to New York City. As to why Negan decides to help her, we don’t know.
The urban environment is a massive shock to our characters. “A lot of new things can happen for walkers and human beings there,” Jorné said.
Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie, also weighed in: “It’s cold and unfamiliar for both characters not to be in Georgia’s woods. It’s a new terrain that is unwelcoming.”
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is just happy to continue developing Negan. “I didn’t think Negan would still be here and part of this world,” he said. “The writers have fleshed out a character who lived beyond the comics. It’s tricky.”
The Walking Dead goes global!
Our characters have never been to New York City, but at least that’s still in the United States. How has the zombie apocalypse affected the rest of the world? That’s something fans have always wondered, and they’re going to find out.
In the past, Fear the Walking Dead has visited Mexico, and a scene in World Beyond hinted at a post-apocalyptic France. The comics checked in with Rick Grimes’ brother Jeffrey in Spain. There’s even a novel called The Walking Dead: Typhoon, set in China.
The upcoming Daryl Dixon show, set in France, will go even further. “This next phase of our beloved Walking Dead franchise promises to engage and enthrall faithful viewers,” teased AMC entertainment president Dan McDermott. “Fans new and old will love seeing zombies walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, beneath the Eiffel Tower, inside the Louvre, and at dozens more exotic and iconic locations from around the country and world.”
Sounds epic, right? Perhaps there is still lots of life within the Walking Dead universe. Dead City premieres sometime in June.
All 11 seasons of The Walking Dead, ranked worst to best. dark. Next
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.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels
h/t The A.V. Club