The Walking Dead, which debuted in 2010, will come to an end after season 11. The post-apocalyptic horror series, which is based on the comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, will wrap up its storyline with 24 episodes that will air over the course of two years. Last year, Kirkman also ended the comic book series.
AMC, however, is planning to move forward with several spinoffs, including an untitled series starring Norman Reedus (Daryl) and Melissa McBride (Carol), two of the few remaining original cast members. The network has also announced that the series’ chief content officer Scott M. Gimple is developing a scripted anthology series, Tales of the Walking Dead, that is expected to feature stand-alone stories.
So far, The Walking Dead has had two spinoffs — Fear the Walking Dead, which returns for its sixth season on October 11, and the two-season limited series The Walking Dead: World Beyond, which will debut on October 4. In addition, Universal Pictures is developing a trilogy built around Andrew Lincoln's character, Rick Grimes.
The Walking Dead, which is the highest-rated series in the history of cable TV, has seen its ratings slip in recent years as stars like Lincoln, Danai Gurira (Michonne) and Steven Yeun (Glenn) have left the show. The season nine finale was the show's lowest-rated ever and this year the series was replaced by Paramount Network's Kevin Costner drama Yellowstone as the most-watched series on basic cable.
Reedus and McBride, who both joined the cast in season one, signed "franchise/universe" deals with AMC in late 2018, which included pay raises. Reedus reportedly secured a deal worth between $50 million and $90 million, while McBride signed on for an estimated $20 million over three years for projects within The Walking Dead universe.
Although the amounts seem astonishing, the series is a multi-billion-dollar franchise that includes the series, comics and merchandising. The characters’ likeness is featured in board games, toys and clothing, which means that the actors’ contribution to the show extends far beyond the series’ individual episodes.
Source: Hollywood Reporter