Norman Reedus Thought Daryl Dixon Was Getting Killed Off
By Adam Carlson
It may have been for a very short period of time, but for a little while, The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus thought that Daryl Dixon was getting killed off on the show.
It’s a funny story that led him to believe this. The story was told in a great article by Entertainment Weekly’s Dalton Ross.
Norman Reedus got a phone call from series creator Robert Kirkman. Although Reedus was unable to answer the call, the voicemail left was a bit too eerie for the actor who plays Daryl Dixon:
"“When we were just about to wrap up last season, Kirkman called me. And he said, ‘Hey, I really want to talk to you. Can you call me back?’ I was like, ‘Okay, I’m getting the call. I’m gonna die on the show.’”"
But the call wasn’t to kill of Daryl Dixon, it was instead to recruit Reedus for the new movie AIR that is scheduled for a 2015 release. Kirkman is a producer on the film and wanted Reedus to join as an actor on the project. So, instead of hearing the words “you’re fired”, this is what Kirkman told Norman Reedus:
"“Hey, I’m doing this movie, I want you to be a part of it.”"
Daryl and Carol from The Walking Dead
Fans of The Walking Dead and even Norman Reedus himself are probably relieved that Daryl Dixon wasn’t killed off last year. However, more worry for the future of the crossbow wielding heartthrob came when a season 5 preview photo of Daryl bound and gagged while looking all roughed up really got fans concerned.
In reality, fans of Reedus shouldn’t be too concerned. The popularity of the character played by Norman Reedus almost assures that he will survive a long time. Killing him off now would create an intense fan revolt and could possibly be one of the worst things that could happen to the show from a fan and marketing perspective.
Although characters can die at any time in the universe of The Walking Dead, I’d consider Daryl one of the safer bets to survive for many, many seasons on the hit TV show. Hopefully that will make Norman Reedus and fans happy for the future of the series.