After more than 10 years on the air, AMC’s hugely popular show The Walking Dead will end following season 11, it has been confirmed.
The cable network revealed the news on Wednesday explaining that the final season will feature 24 episodes, stretched out over two years, whereas previous seasons have only had 16 episodes.
The zombie-heavy series – from creator Robert Kirkman – will continue airing through to late 2020, with the show getting a fittingly slow and painful death.
It’s over! The Walking Dead to end after season 11… but there are two more spin-offs in the works at AMC
However, true to form, the zombies are never really dead – as AMC has said it still plans to expand the Walking Dead universe, with two more spin-offs, including a straight-to-series order for a drama that will follow Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride).
The third spin-off from the show is yet to be given a title, but is expected to launch in 2023, once The Walking Dead is over.
There is also said to be a scripted anthology series in the works titled Tales of the Walking Dead, from Walking Dead chief content officer Scott M. Gimple.
Spicing things up: Producers brought in Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton as the new baddie Alpha in Season 10 which delighted fans and critics
This extra spin-off is said to feature standalone episodes featuring new and existing characters, expanding the Walking Dead world even further.
There are also spin-off shows Fear the Walking Dead – which is set to return for a sixth season next month – and a two-season limited series The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
Producers had certainly began to breathe new life into the show in season 10, when they brought in Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton to play the new baddie Alpha, to the delight of fans and critics.
‘It’s been 10 years ‘gone bye’; what lies ahead are two more to come and stories and stories to tell beyond that,’ Gimple said in a statement, giving a reference to the pilot, which was titled Days Gone Bye, and first aired October 31st in 2010.
Not over yet: The zombie-heavy series – from creator Robert Kirkman – will continue airing through to late 2020, with the show getting a fittingly slow and painful death
‘What’s clear is that this show has been about the living, made by a passionate cast, team of writer-producers, producers and crew, bringing to life the vision put forth by Robert Kirkman in his brilliant comic – and supported by the best fans in the world.’
‘We have a lot of thrilling story left to tell on TWD, and then, this end will be a beginning of more Walking Dead – brand new stories and characters, familiar faces and places, new voices and new mythologies.’
He concluded: ‘This will be a grand finale that will lead to new premieres. Evolution is upon us. The Walking Dead lives.’
Killer deals: Actors Reedus and McBride (pictured above) has both signed extremely rewarding financial deals with AMC, who now plan for their respective characters to live on
Meanwhile showrunner Angela Kang said: ‘I look forward to digging in with our brilliant writers, producers, directors, cast and crew to bring this epic final chapter of Robert Kirkman’s story to life for our fans over the next two years.’
‘The Walking Dead flagship series has been my creative home for a decade and so it’s bittersweet to bring it to an end, but I could not be more excited to be working with Scott Gimple and AMC to develop a new series for Daryl and Carol.’
‘Working with Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride has been a highlight of my career and I’m thrilled that we get to keep telling stories together.’
Stars of the show: Danai Gurira and Norman Reedus in season 10 of the show
Explosive finale: The series will be dragged out for another two years before the final ending
Actors Reedus and McBride has both signed extremely rewarding financial deals with AMC, who now plan for their respective characters to live on.
They reportedly signed groundbreaking deals with the network in 2018, which featured huge pay rises and also stipulated that if their characters were killed off the main show and moved to a different spin-off, they would still get paid the same amount.
Back then it was reported that Reedus mad $350,000 per episode, in a deal worth anywhere between $50 million and $90 million over the next three years.
McBride’s new deal was said to be worth around $20 million over the same time period, giving her a significant pay increase.
Spin-offs: There will be future standalone episodes in various spin-offs that could bring back fan-favorites like Danai Gurira
Ed Carroll, chief operating officer of AMC Networks, said in a statement: “The Walking Dead made television history, and is one of those rare creative works that has given life to an entire content universe that is still in the early stages of growing and entertaining both new and established fans.’
‘We can’t wait to bring viewers this expanded final season of The Walking Dead over the next two years, and launch the fourth series in the history of the franchise, focused on the beloved Daryl and Carol characters, with the incredibly talented Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Angela Kang and Scott M. Gimple.’
‘There really is so much ‘walking’ ahead, in a number of very exciting directions, for this extraordinary creative universe we call The Walking Dead.’