Who loves good news? We do, especially if it’s in any way related to the The Walking Dead franchise. After more than a decade of walkers, heartbreaking character deaths, and memorable moments, the zombie universe has proven time and time again that it still knows how to keep fans invested.
The original series might have wrapped up years ago, but the franchise has expanded in exciting ways through multiple spinoffs that explore new and old characters, new locations, and new stories set in the apocalypse. Sadly, most have already ended their runs. However, there's still The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and The Walking Dead: Dead City holding down the fort.
And now, one of these beloved spinoffs has just delivered a huge moment for the franchise. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon has officially secured a major win at the 2026 Saturn Awards!
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon wins 2026 Saturn Award
It's really true, Walking Dead fans! Back in January 2026, we reported that The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon had earned multiple Saturn Award nominations. Norman Reedus, who reprises his iconic role as Daryl, was nominated for "Best Actor in a Television Series," while Melissa McBride, beloved for her portrayal of Carol, earned a nod for "Best Actress in a Television Series." That wasn't all, either!
The zombie series itself was also recognized with a nomination for "Best Television Presentation or Limited Series," putting the spinoff in the spotlight alongside some of the most talked-about shows in sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. Well, one thing is now crystal clear. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon didn’t just earn nominations. It won the 2026 Saturn Award for "Best Television Presentation or Limited Series!"
At the 53rd Saturn Awards on March 8, Reedus went on stage to accept the award on behalf of the cast and crew. During his speech, he mentioned how grateful he is to have had the chance to play Daryl for 16 years. Then, he went on to thank different members of the team who made the spinoff possible. We shared a short clip of Reedus's acceptance speech below via a Norman Reedus fan site on X.
“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” won the Saturn Award for “Best Television Presentation or Limited Series”!
— Norman Reedus Network | Fansite (@reedusnetwork) March 9, 2026
Congratulations Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, & all the cast and crew!
Here is Norman’s part of the acceptance speech for the award.#normanreedus pic.twitter.com/zS9wEsMjcY
Unfortunately, neither Reedus nor McBride was able to take home individual acting awards this year. Reedus lost out to Diego Luna for his work on Disney+'s Andor, while McBride was bested by Rhea Seehorn for her work on Apple TV's Pluribus. Still, the recognition of their performances and the spinoff as a whole was a huge achievement!
The Walking Dead: Dead City was also nominated for a Saturn Award this year. It was nominated for "Best Horror Television Series," but sadly, it did not take home the trophy. It lost out to HBO's It: Welcome to Derry.
In better news, both spinoffs will be returning with new seasons. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is confirmed to be premiering its fourth and final season on AMC sometime this year. While plot details are being kept secret, we're hoping to finally see Daryl and Carol make their way back to America. Perhaps there might even be a reunion with other fan-favorite characters as well? Now that would be a way to end the show with a bang!
The Walking Dead: Dead City, on the other hand, will be returning with its third installment. However, it's unclear when exactly it'll come out. If not sometime this year, it'll probably be sometime in 2027. The last time we saw Negan and Maggie in the season 2 finale, they had chosen to put their complicated past behind them. It'll be interesting to see if they can keep their fragile truce intact in the third season.
Stay tuned to Undead Walking for more news and coverage on The Walking Dead franchise!