There’s Gonna Be a Bunch of "Walking Dead" Movies and Guess Who’s the Star?

Spoilers incoming, obvs.

Scott Gimple, The Walking Dead’s former showrunner and current “Chief Content Officer” for its growing zombie universe, has announced a series of movies based on the comic-book and TV saga.

What’ll they be about, and how will they differ from The Walking Dead and spin-off Fear the Walking Dead? Well, don’t read on if you haven’t been keeping up with the flagship show’s ninth season.

Today, the latest episode of The Walking Dead—billed as the final ep to feature long-time star Andrew Lincoln—aired, and in it, the fate of lead zombie-killer Rick Grimes was revealed.

If you don’t want to know what happened at the end of “What Comes After”, the fifth episode of Season 9, definitely don’t read on.

…

Last chance to get out of here! Go on, git!

...

Okay then...

So, Rick managed to survive an impaling, a zombie chase and an explosion, only to get captured and helicoptered away by mysterious kidnappers.

Meaning: Rick survives, and Lincoln thrives, because he’s gonna be central to that new trilogy of movies.

Gimple told Indiewire, "These Rick Grimes series of films introduce a new corner of the world to The Walking Dead. And it’s very much in its own kind of situation and has its own rules."

However, just because Rick lives doesn’t mean you’ll see him on TWD again: "We’re planning to do these movies and people shouldn’t expect to see him popping up. We have a plan for Rick Grimes to tell some amazing stories for him, for the audience. And that’s where they can expect to get their Grimes fix."

Gimple isn’t ruling out a theatrical release for the movies, or even a partnership with a streaming service, but the immediate plan is to air them on AMC in the United States (so you’ll presumably get them on Foxtel in Australia, where TWD also airs). Production begins on the first flick in 2019. There's also a possibility of more movies beyond these initial three.

Fan reaction is… mixed.

Fear the Walking Dead says that Walking Dead Rick Grimes movies are a bad idea

— Paul Little ⭐️ (@ItsPaulLittle) November 5, 2018

But Lincoln is likely laughing, because the flexible schedule of movie-making means he gets to stay close to the U.K. where his family lives, rather than film TWD in Georgia any longer. Basically, we’re gonna go ahead and assume the Walking Dead cinematic universe is heading to London. You know what that means, right? Cockney zombies. Get ready.

Header Image: AMC