This Halloween, The Walking Dead reaches its fifteenth anniversary. When it first aired back in 2010, the AMC zombie series went on to become the biggest show on cable, smashing records at every turn. Sure, it lost a lot of its traction in its later years, but the franchise remains popular, with a legion of dedicated fans.
The franchise has been killing it in recent years through a slate of sequel spinoffs. There's Dead City, which follows unlikely duo Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as they traverse Manhattan. Plus, Daryl Dixon chronicles the adventures of Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) across Europe, specifically France and Spain, as well as a brief stop in England.
In 2024, there was also requisite spinoff The Ones Who Live, which provided closure to the stories of fan-favorite couple Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Rick (Andrew Lincoln).
As for what the future holds, franchise director Scott Gimple is confident in the series evolving further. He compares it to other comic book universes, like Marvel and DC. “It was all one story. It went in all sorts of different directions,” he told Variety. “Even with characters who have done so many things, we can put them in different worlds where they have different challenges and evolve them through these challenges.”
In addition, AMC co-president Dan McDermott hinted at the longevity of the series. “It’s quite possible we could see this group up here 15 years from now,” he said. “There are many more continents to visit. It’s about how [the characters] evolve over time. It’s really exciting to see how far we can take this.”
The Walking Dead has forayed to uncharted territories in a bid to increase longevity. So far, the creative direction has worked. “In a lot of ways, [the locations] give the story to us,” Gimple said.
What's next for The Walking Dead Universe?
The Walking Dead still has a lot of story to offer. There's more continents to explore. For instance, we haven't seen Asia in the franchise yet. There's even an excellent tie-in novel to the comic continuity, Typhoon, set in China, which could be adapted.
Moreover, Gimple hasn't ruled out one day converging all of the spinoffs, essentially bringing back the mothership show for 'season 12'. “The dream would be that these shows somehow converge in some way, narratively,” he said at New York Comic Con in 2023, per Comic Book.
Spinoffs could get wilder and more zany, too. For instance, long-time director Michael Satrazemis has previously expressed his interest in setting a spinoff project in space. Did someone say space zombies?
It’s safe to say that nothing is off the table when it comes to The Walking Dead’s future.