Fans of Negan rejoice!! Jeffrey Dean Morgan will return as the former leader of the Saviors, Negan Smith, in the second season of The Walking Dead spinoff, Dead City. The series featured Negan's story several years after the conclusion of the main series. The NYCC teaser for the new season features Negan, who's up to his old ways.
In an interview with Collider, Morgan shared his enthusiasm to portray Negan as he was originally introduced, complete with his leather jacket and a new Lucille. Negan fans miss his villainous ways, as only Morgan can portray them, and are excited to see him back in a leadership role, this time in post-apocalyptic Manhattan.
"Well, I freaked out. I didn’t realize how much I missed her, not only as Negan, but as myself. Just getting to hold that damn bat again adds something to that character and the swagger and the confidence and the humor that Negan has. I think it’s been sorely missed. The second that she’s back in Negan’s hands, he is empowered in some way that he hasn’t been in the last few years. It was a cool thing, having her back."Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Walking Dead viewers watch Negan transition from the ruthless leader of the Saviors, to prisoner, to hero, and finally as a husband. He introduced his wife Annie (Medina Senghore) in season 11 of the series, and before the story concluded, he and a pregnant Annie left the communities.
The Walking Dead: Dead City season 1
Negan's story continued in the first season of the Negan and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) spinoff, Dead City. Set several years after the main series storyline ended, Dead City teamed up longtime enemies Negan and Maggie in an effort to rescue her son Hershel (Logan Kim). The boy was abducted by a former Savior named The Croat (Željko Ivanek), and unbeknownst to Negan, Maggie made a deal to trade him for her son.
This puts Negan in the middle of the criminal elements of Manhattan, namely the Dama (Lisa Emery), who suggests it would be in Negan's best interest to assist her in taking over the gangs of the island. She does this by subtly threatening Hershel, a boy Negan feels an emotional connection with since he was the one responsible for the death of the boy's father, Glenn (Steven Yeun).
The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2
The second season of Dead City will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in Spring 2025 and begin six months after the events of season 1. Fans are excited to see where the next chapter of Negan's story takes him. The teaser reveals Negan is in his element, banging Lucille around for all to see while he tells a group, "I guess you're in for a bit of a shock. You see, power equals power."
Maggie talks to someone off-screen, asking them why they want to go back to Manhattan after all that has happened. It is unclear if she is talking to Negan, but it appears that the second season will, once again, pit Maggie and Negan against each other.
The Walking Dead: Dead City will return to AMC and AMC+ in the spring of 2025 with an exciting second season.
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