Ever since its premiere on AMC in September 2023, Daryl Dixon has been widely recognized as the best spinoff in The Walking Dead universe. Norman Reedus returns as his iconic titular character, and he's later reunited with the equally iconic Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) for the second season, subtitled The Book of Carol. Both are back for season 3, coming this fall on AMC.
However, while The Walking Dead fans have a new season to look forward to this fall and another season to look forward to next year, the bittersweet news arrived earlier this year that Daryl Dixon will end with its fourth season. No one wants to say goodbye to Daryl or Carol, especially not when the spinoff has been one of the best things the franchise has made in years.
Daryl Dixon season 4 begins filming in Spain
The end is in sight and still so far away at the same time, though the latest update for Daryl Dixon season 4 will make the bittersweet final season announcement sting all over again. Although filming was rumored to have begun well before season 4 was officially renewed in late July at San Diego Comic-Con, filming is now taking place on the final season in Spain.
When Reedus shared a photo on social media on July 7 with the caption "Day 1," fans first had an inkling that Daryl Dixon season 4 had started production. Reedus and McBride were also supposedly spotted by fans on set in Sepulveda along with a few of their other cast members. Additional details about production beginning in July haven't been expressly revealed beyond the star's post.
When the final season renewal was announced at SDCC on July 25, multiple outlets reported that Daryl Dixon season 4 would begin filming imminently, not mentioning that filming had already started. In fact, Entertainment Weekly stated that the season "will begin filming in Spain within the next week," which would mean late July or early August. Most outlets suggested an August start date for production, and now that it's August, filming is in full swing!
The final season will premiere in 2026 on AMC
It's not currently known how long production will last on the final episodes in Spain, though the third season followed a similar production timeline. Daryl Dixon season 3 began filming in August 2024 and ultimately wrapped on Feb. 13, 2025. Seeing as season 3 will contain seven episodes, that was likely the longest shoot to date for the series, though season 4 could last even longer.
As been confirmed, the final season will contain eight episodes, the largest episode order for in the spinoff's history. Because of the extra episode compared to season 3 and the two extra episodes compared to the first two seasons, season 4 will likely wrap a little later than usual. If season 3 completed filming in mid-February, season 4 might finish in late February or even into March. But that still likely wouldn't impact AMC's release plans, which have been an annual September premiere.
Obviously, we have been waiting for this update about Daryl Dixon season 4 for quite some time, specifically the official confirmation that cameras have started rolling. That means the series is right on track and we won't have to wait longer than anticipated. But that also means that Daryl and Carol are one step closer to saying farewell to the franchise, potentially for the last time.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 premieres Sunday, Sept. 7 on AMC.