The Walking Dead: Dead City could see Negan fall back into old behaviors

Jeffery Dean Morgan is currently preparing for his role on the Amazon original series, The Boys. This role was a long time coming, and with the conclusion of The Walking Dead and filming wrapping for his spinoff series The Walking Dead: Dead City, the time was right for him to finally play a part in The Boys. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Morgan shared some insight into what fans can expect from Negan in the new series, and it seems it may be the time when Negan’s true nature is revealed.

The last fans saw of Negan in the series finale episode of The Walking Dead, “Rest in Peace,” he exchanged nods with Daryl (Norman Reedus), who was peering at him from a window. Even during the 1-year time jump, nothing was seen of Negan, his wife Annie (Medina Senghore), or their child, who would have been born by that time.

The only mention of him after the time jump was that he returned Judith’s (Cailey Fleming) compass delivered by Lydia (Cassady McClincy). This may seem odd to viewers of the series, but fans of the comic know this is about the same ending Negan got in the comic. He exiled himself from the group and lived out his days alone. While in the series, he would be living with his wife and child, it would be away from the group he has been with for quite some time.

The Walking Dead: Dead City

The next spinoff to see a premier will be Dead City which is scheduled to release in June 2023. This series will see Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan head to Manhattan. Nothing is known of why they go to this location, but the island had been cut off since early in the outbreak, and a massive walker horde, over 1 million strong, has amassed there. It has also been revealed that this series will see a few years’ time jump from The Walking Dead series finale.

In the interview with EW, Morgan discussed Negan and what’s to come. He begins by saying that at the end of TWD, Negan is done with the main group and plans to head off with his family and start again.

When asked if the new series will see a new Negan, Morgan responded that it could be the opposite. That time apart from the group where he felt the need to redeem himself could have a negative effect, and he could revert to some of his old ways.

This would explain the tension between Maggie and Negan in this promo photo. Maggie has told him she could never forget what he has done even though she will always be appreciative of him saving her son.

This begs the question asked many times, what happens to Annie and the baby? If Negan begins to travel down the paths of his past, it is highly likely that Annie and the baby are no longer in his life. Annie doesn’t appear to be the type to allow him to head back down the road of evil.

It will be exciting to see what’s in store for Negan and Maggie when The Walking Dead: Dead City premieres in  April 2022.

UPDATE: 01/10/2023 AMC has announced Dead City will release in June 2023.

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