It's not the best day, Walking Dead fans. We hate to even come to you with this bad news, but Netflix could be saying goodbye to the complete Walking Dead series soon. Yes, that means all 11 seasons of the beloved zombie show.
During a recent conference call with AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan, Dolan discussed the company’s fourth-quarter earnings and confirmed that the entire Walking Dead series is set to return to AMC’s control “in less than a year.” While she stated that talks are ongoing about a potential renewal, nothing has been finalized yet, leaving fans with the very real possibility that the show could be removed from Netflix in 2026.
Where are we getting this potential 2026 Netflix removal from, you ask? Well, Dolan stated that AMC will recover the streaming rights to The Walking Dead from Netflix "in less than a year." That means AMC will regain the ability to distribute, license, or sell the series anywhere they want. In addition, less than a year from now could mean the network reacquires the streaming rights before the end of 2026. Although there was a mention of a potential renewal, Dolan didn't state whether the discussions being had are exclusively with Netflix.
If AMC gets back the streaming rights to the zombie show before the end of this year, then Netflix would lose access to all 11 seasons. But again, that's if a renewal isn’t finalized between the two companies. AMC could choose to enter into a new deal with another streaming platform, such as Hulu or HBO Max. Or, maybe it could work out a deal where the show streams on both Netflix and another streamer. Perhaps the network might even want to keep the series exclusively on its own streaming service (AMC+) going forward.
At this moment, it's unknown which direction AMC will take. What we do know for certain is that the clock is ticking, and those who haven’t yet binge-watched all 11 seasons of The Walking Dead might not have much time left to do so on Netflix.
With The Walking Dead potentially leaving Netflix soon, this would be a major move. The zombie series has been available exclusively on Netflix for over a decade, becoming one of the most-watched and binge-worthy hits on the platform. While it would make sense that AMC might want to regain full control of one of its most valuable and recognizable franchises, such a move could completely reshape how fans access the series moving forward.
Let's be real. Say what you want about Netflix, but the platform has played a huge role in keeping The Walking Dead alive and accessible long after episodes originally aired. If AMC were to make the show exclusive to AMC+, it would lose some of the widespread accessibility. AMC+ has a smaller subscriber base and reach compared to Netflix.
In our opinion, the best way to move forward would be for AMC to strike a new licensing agreement that keeps The Walking Dead available on Netflix while still allowing the network to benefit from its ownership of the franchise. A shared or renewed streaming deal would help preserve the show’s massive global audience and prevent longtime fans from suddenly losing easy access to the series. If not Netflix, then another widely accessible streaming platform would likely be the next best option to ensure the series remains easy for fans to watch.
The Walking Dead's potential departure from Netflix also makes us think about the spinoffs currently streaming on the platform. As of right now, Netflix carries Fear the Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon, and Dead City. The Ones Who Live was added to the platform in January 2025, but was removed seven months later in August. Like The Ones Who Live, the other spinoffs will eventually leave Netflix as well. However, they haven't been given any official departure dates yet.
Fingers crossed, fans still have a decent window to catch up or rewatch these spinoffs before they shuffle to another streaming platform!