The Walking Dead officially coming to an end as two new spin-off shows, featuring familiar faces, are announced

Well, we knew this was coming, but it’s still kinda hard to believe it’s here.

The Walking Dead is coming to an end with Season 11 which will have an extended run of 24 episodes to allow the story to get the ending it needs.

However, it’s – like the shuffling zombies themselves – far from the end as, as well as the Fear The Walking Dead and upcoming Beyond Worlds shows as well as the Rick Grimes spin-off movies, an additional two spin-offs have been announced.

The first of the two will revolve around fan favourites Daryl and Carol (above) played by Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride and will see the duo surviving in the world of the dead on their own –  it has been created by Scott Gimble and showrunner Angela Kang.

“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,” Kang said.

“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.”

Star Reedus said: “I feel incredibly honored to be a part of The Walking Dead. This show changed my life and career and everyone involved has truly been a family for me over the last decade. I’m thankful for AMC’s love and support and know there’s so much more story to tell and so much more to bring the best fans in the world. Daryl’s relationship with Carol has always been my favourite relationship on the show (sorry Rick). I love the way these characters interact and relate to each other on so many levels and can’t wait to see where their ride goes from here.”

While McBride added: “Of course, I’ve always enjoyed working so closely with Norman throughout these many seasons. In playing Carol, and as a viewer of the show, I’ve also long been intrigued with ‘Daryl and Carol,’ and by what so early on between them, even then, felt somehow bound. Their shared history is long, and each’s own personal fight to survive, even longer — the more obvious aspect of what has kept them close and loyal. But there is also a rather mysterious aspect to their fondness for one another that I enjoy, and their playfulness when the world permits. I’m very curious! Angela has a way of shaking things up in great and unexpected ways. She’s like a kid playing with the dimmer switch! I’m very excited!”

On top of this, Gimple is developing an anthology series called Tales of the Walking Dead which will be “an episodic anthology with individual episodes or arcs of episodes focused on new or existing characters, backstories or other stand-alone experiences”.

So, while it’s over, it means stars from the original series – and maybe others – will be able to return.

This is the letter the cast received announcing the show’s end:

WD Family,

As you may have seen in the press, we’ve come to a very big moment.

After our next, supersized season that will span a couple years, The Walking Dead will be coming to an end.

For all of us — especially those who have been a part of this show for the better part of a decade — this is a seismic announcement. Just to break it down:

Season 11 will be the final, extended season of The Walking Dead, running 24 episodes, probably shooting until early 2022. (We say “probably,” being optimistic but recognizing current production-pandemic uncertainties that affect the schedule.)
A Carol & Daryl spinoff has been greenlit by AMC for 2023.
Tales of The Walking Dead, an anthology series, is in development, as well as other possible TWD series/expressions.
We can’t believe the end is upon us, however far away it is. This crew, this cast, these writer/producers and producers are the show. You are this show’s immediate future of 30 astounding episodes to fulfill our epic story and you will be among those who seal its legacy in entertainment history.

We have reached millions around the world, and we will continue to reach millions more. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, a lot of opportunities to be there for each other, to bring out each other’s best, to bring our show to new heights of excellence.

We’re lucky to have an audience that has stuck by us over ten years of massive change in the world. We hope to have been a point of stability in people’s lives — something they could count on every week (or as part of a late summer binge) to make them feel — happy, heartbroken, intrigued, scared, excited, inspired. Maybe a little grossed out. Maybe considering things about their own life. Maybe considering who they are. People will need those feelings again. And that stability again. And we can give that to them with this epic final season, the last chapter of a multi-year saga of people figuring out how to live in a broken world.

There is hard work, good times, and amazing moments ahead. The only way we can climb this mountain of episodes is how we’ve always done it: together. Let’s begin the long road to the end, standing side by side, in solidarity to do some awesome stuff with all the people who got us here, for all the people who got us here.

As ever, we are The Walking Dead.

– Scott M. Gimple & Angela Kang

So, there you have it, an end of a zombie era. What say you all? Are you sad to see The Walking Dead go? Or are you glad it’s coming to an end? Will you watch the expanded world of shows and movies? Let me know your thoughts, guys.