Ratings for The Walking Dead aren’t what they used to be, but that isn’t stopping AMC from launching a third series set in the world of the hit zombie survival drama.
The still-untitled series will follow two female protagonists as they attempt to live in a world filled with threats — both human and zombie — around every corner, and will unfold in the same universe as the network’s two existing series, The Walking Dead and and Fear the Walking Dead. AMC released a set of six photos from the series ahead of its panel event at New York Comic-Con on Saturday, October 5.
The new series will be co-created by Scott Gimple, chief content officer for The Walking Dead projects at AMC, and Matt Negrete, a writer and producer on The Walking Dead. Negrete will serve as showrunner on the project, which is expected to begin production on its first, 10-episode season this summer.
Although details of the series are being kept under wraps, the show is expected to showcase young women who are growing up in the apocalyptic environment of The Walking Dead. While some indulge their darker instincts, others rise to the occasion.
Announced cast members for the series so far include Aliyah Royale, Alexa Mansour, Annet Mahendru, Nicolas Cantu, Hal Cumpston, and Nico Tortorella.
“In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad,” reads a synopsis of the series by The Verge.
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Viewership on The Walking Dead has gone down in recent years, with the most recent seasons being some of the lowest-rated of the series so far. However, the show still remains one of the most-watched series on cable television overall, only ranking behind major sports and news programs. Due to its high viewership, The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead are also huge generators of advertising revenue for AMC — a situation that certainly plays into the decision to expand the series.
“We believe in the underlying vitality of the Walking Dead universe,” said Sarah Barnett, the president of AMC’s entertainment networks. “Walking Dead itself continues to be the number-one show by some margin … This show just continues to be an incredible boon for us. It’s something another cable or streaming network would actually kill for.”
The new series will premiere on AMC in the spring of 2020.
