By: Dave Clark
With the extreme success of 'The Walking Dead' television series on AMC, it was only a matter of time before we were given some type of spin-off series set in this zombie infested world. Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert will serve as executive producers for the pilot and Dave Erickson will be the show runner and E.P. as well. Here's a few statements from AMC and the creative team:
“Almost from the beginning of ‘The Walking Dead’ on AMC, fans have been curious about what is going on in the zombie apocalypse in other parts of the world. In fact, beyond requests for zombie cameos, it’s the question I get asked the most. Obviously, we all take our stewardship of the original franchise incredibly seriously and we, along with Robert, Gale, David and now Dave, are all proceeding with extreme care in order to ensure that we are offering fans something truly compelling, engaging and distinct. We’re thrilled to be taking this next step with these remarkable partners. ”
“There are many corners of ‘The Walking Dead’ universe that remain unseen in the shadows. Being given the opportunity to shine a light into those corners and see what lurks out there is an absolute thrill. I know the fans are anxious to hear what Dave and I have been cooking up for this new universe of ‘The Walking Dead,’ and I’m happy to be one step closer to sharing it with them. ”
“I’ve been fortunate to have collaborated with both Robert and AMC on past projects and I’m thrilled to join them again, along with Gale and David, to build upon ‘The Walking Dead’s’ already epic narrative.”
The pilot for this new series should begin production in late 2014.
Season 5 of ‘The Walking Dead’ begins on October 12 and airs on AMC. It stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee, Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene, Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier, Emily Kinney as Beth Greene, Chad Coleman as Tyreese, Sonequa Martin-Green as Sasha, Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. as Bob Stookey, Michael Cudlitz as Abraham Ford, Josh McDermitt as Eugene Porter, Alanna Masterson as Tara Chambler, Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa, Andrew J. West as Gareth, and Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes.